Graphene-protected copper and silver plasmonics

Plasmonics has established itself as a branch of physics which promises to revolutionize data processing, improve photovoltaics, increase sensitivity of bio-detection. A widespread use of plasmonic devices is notably hindered (in addition to high losses) by the absence of stable and inexpensive metal films suitable for plasmonic applications. This may seem surprising given the number of metal compounds to choose from. Unfortunately, most of them either exhibit a strong damping of surface plasmons or easily oxidize and corrode. To this end, there has been continuous search for alternative plasmonic materials that are, unlike gold, the current metal of choice in plasmonics, compatible with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. Here we show that copper and silver protected by graphene are viable candidates. Copper films covered with one to a few graphene layers show excellent plasmonics characteristics surpassing those of gold films. They can be used to fabricate plasmonic devices and survive for at least a year, even in wet and corroding conditions. As a proof of concept, we use the graphene-protected copper to demonstrate dielectric loaded plasmonic waveguides and test sensitivity of surface plasmon resonances. Our results are likely to initiate a wide use of graphene-protected plasmonics.

Impermeable Barrier Films and Protective Coatings Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide

Barrier films preventing permeation of gases and moistures are important for many industries ranging from food to medical and from chemical to electronic. From this perspective, graphene has recently attracted particular interest because its defect free monolayers are impermeable to all gases and liquids. However, it has proved challenging to develop large-area defectless graphene films suitable for industrial use. Here we report barrier properties of multilayer graphitic films made by chemical reduction of easily and cheaply produced graphene oxide laminates. They are found to provide a practically perfect barrier that blocks all gases, liquids and aggressive chemicals including, for example, hydrofluoric acid. In particular, if graphene oxide laminates are reduced in hydroiodic acid, no permeation of hydrogen and water could be detected for films as thin as 30 nm, which remain optically transparent. The films thicker than 100 nm become completely impermeable. The exceptional barrier properties are attributed to a high degree of graphitization of the laminates and little structural damage during reduction. This work indicates a close prospect of thin protective coatings with stability and inertness similar to that of graphene and bulk graphite, which can be interesting for numerous applications.