Analysis of scanning thermal microscopy measurements on CVD graphene

Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) results on chemical vapor-deposited graphene supported by different substrates have been analyzed by the finite-element method (FEM). The analysis has been validated by using the results of a simplified lumped-element model in which graphene is schematized as an isotropic material in perfect contact with the substrate, as reported in Tortello et al., ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2, 2621–2633 (2019). Subsequently, the model has been employed to obtain a semi-quantitative estimation of the graphene in-plane thermal conductivity, which was found in agreement with other reports. The combined use of SThM and FEM, possibly complemented with supplementary results, e.g., from thermoreflectance experiments, offers interesting possibilities to study graphene and 2D materials with the unique spatial resolution of SThM, especially in view of nanoscale heat transfer and heat management applications.