Electrostatic Force Microscopy on Oriented Graphite Surfaces: Where Insulating and Conducting Behaviors Coexist

Abstract

We present measurements of the electric potential fluctuations on the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite using electrostatic force and atomic force microscopy. Micrometric domain-like potential distributions are observed even when the sample is grounded. Such potential distributions are unexpected given the good metallic conductivity of graphite because the surface should be an equipotential. Our results indicate the coexistence of regions with metallic and insulating behaviors showing large potential fluctuations of the order of 0.25V. We discuss the implications of these measurements in the disorder structure of graphite.

14 pages, 5 figures

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• Size Effects in the Magnetoresistance of Graphite: Absence of Magnetoresistance in Micrometer size Samples
• An upper bound for the magnetic force gradient in graphite
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• Influence of surface band bending on a narrow band gap semiconductor: Tunneling atomic force studies of graphite with Bernal and rhombohedral stacking orders
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