Growth and Characterization of Two-dimensional Vanadium Oxide on Graphitic Surfaces

Nowadays nanomaterials and nanotechnology improve our daily life in all areas such as electronics, clothing, food, and medicines. In nanoelectronics, two-dimensional (2D) materials with unique properties and various 2D heterostructures have gained broad attention for applications in novel devices. However, the direct growth of 2D dielectric materials on 2D semiconductors is still a challenge. Graphene is a semimetal with high carrier mobility, high mechanical strength, and high transparency. Due to the low surface energy of graphene, most dielectric materials do not tend to grow as a flat film on graphene. Vanadium oxides (VOx) possess various oxidation states and electronic properties (e.g., a metal-insulator transition exists for VO2 and V2O3) which are promising for applications in nanoelectronics, surface oxidation catalysts and sensors. This PhD thesis aims to realize and understand the growth of 2D vanadium oxides on graphene surfaces.