Effect of cluster formation on graphene mobility

Abstract

We investigate the effect of gold (Au) atoms in the form of both pointlike charged impurities and clusters on the transport properties of graphene. Cryogenic deposition (18 K) of Au decreases the mobility and shifts the Dirac point in a manner that is consistent with scattering from pointlike charged impurities. Increasing the temperature to room temperature promotes the formation of clusters, which is verified with atomic force microscopy. We find that for a fixed amount of Au impurities, the formation of clusters enhances the mobility and causes the Dirac point to shift back toward zero.