The dependence of selective etching of semiconductor surfaces catalyzed by reduced graphene oxide sheets on solution temperature

Abstract

We have investigated the fundamental properties of graphene-assisted chemical etching, which is preferential etching of a Ge surface in contact with single sheets of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in water. In this study, in order to realize a higher etching rate, we unveiled the dependence of the etching rate on solution temperatures. The Arrhenius plot from the obtained results revealed that the activation energy of etching becomes lower on a Ge surface in contact with rGO sheets than on a Ge surface just immersed in water.