Low-Frequency Noise as A Probe of Microscopic Disorder in CVD-Grown Graphene

Abstract

We investigate low-frequency resistance fluctuations (1/f noise) in large-area graphene synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The magnitude of the noise in CVD-grown graphene is found to be several orders of magnitude higher than that typically observed in mechanically exfoliated single-crystal graphene. This enhanced noise level is attributed to the presence of structural disorder inherent to polycrystalline CVD films, including grain boundaries and defect states. Temperature-dependent measurements reveal that the resistance fluctuations originate from the thermally activated dynamics of localized defects. The results provide insight into the microscopic mechanisms governing electrical noise in large-area graphene systems. Our study further demonstrates that low-frequency noise measurements serve as a sensitive probe of microscopic disorder in CVD graphene and provide a practical approach for assessing material quality and defect dynamics in scalable graphene-based electronic devices.