Graphene under Uniaxial Deformation: A Raman Study

The presented work summarizes various aspects of uniaxial deformation in monolayer graphene studied by means of Raman spectroscopy. Graphene flakes were subjected to tension - compression uniaxial loading using the cantilever beam technique. The evolution of the Raman single-resonance (G) and double-resonance (2D) bands was monitored at strain levels <1%. The position of all peaks redshifts under tension and blueshifts under compression. The G peak splitting into two sub-bands (G(-) and G(+)) which is caused by symmetry lowering, is observed in both strain directions. The sub-bands' intensities are used to calculate the crystal lattice orientation of the measured graphene flakes with respect to the strain axis. The nature and splitting of the 2D band even in the unstrained flakes, when excited by the 785 nm (1.58 eV) laser line, is interpreted as the interplay between two distinct double resonance scattering processes.