Graphene on Pt(111): Growth and substrate interaction

In situ low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) of graphene growth combined with measurements of the graphene structure and electronic band structure has been used to study graphene on Pt(111). Growth by carbon segregation produces macroscopic monolayer graphene domains extending continuously across Pt(111) substrate steps and bounded by strongly faceted edges. LEEM during cooling from the growth temperature shows the propagation of wrinkles in the graphene sheet, driven by thermal stress. The lattice mismatch between graphene and Pt(111) is accommodated by moir\'e structures with a large number of different rotational variants, without a clear preference for a particular interface geometry. Fast and slow…