Surface analytical characterization of oxide-free Si(100) wafer surfaces

Summary Wet-chemical cleaning procedures of Si(100) wafers are surface analytically characterized and compared. Hydrophobic surfaces show considerably less native oxides in comparison to hydrophilic surfaces.The growth of the oxide is determined as a function of exposure to air by means of XPS measurements. The chemically shifted Si2p XPS signal is utilized for the quantification of the growth kinetics.One hour after cleaning no chemically shifted Si2p XPS peak is discernible on the hydrophobic surfaces. Assuming homogeneous oxide growth, the detection limit of native oxides is estimated to be below 0.05 nm using an emission angle of 18° with respect to the wafer surface. The calculation of the oxide thickness from the chemically shifted and nonchemically shifted Si2p XPS peak intensities is carried out according to Finster and Schulze [1]. For more than a day after cleaning no surface oxides can be identified on the hydrophobic surfaces. The oxide growth kinetics is logarithmic. The very slow oxidation rate cannot be attributed to fluorine residues since no fluorine is seen by XPS. We explain the slow oxidation rate by a homogeneous hydrogen saturated Si(100) wafer surface.

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Oberflächenanalytische Charakterisierung oxidfreier Si(100)-Waferoberflächen

     

XPS study of carboxylic acid layers on oxidized metals with reference to particulate materials

Low‐molecular‐weight organic additives such as stearic acid are commonly used as surface additives in powder injection moulding (PIM). It is therefore important to know how the additives interact with the surface of the powder used. In this study, such interactions are studied by means of controlled adsorption of carboxylic acids on the oxides of interest. The oxides are prepared by oxidation of flat samples of Fe, Cr, Mn and Si. Surface chemical characterization is done by means of XPS, the main approach on flat samples being a comparison of angle‐resolved analysis and the use of the Tougaard nanostructure analysis technique. Taking advantage of this comparison, the Tougaard method is then applied in the evaluation of XPS analyses of stainless‐steel powder with adsorbed stearic acid. In addition, time‐of‐flight SIMS analysis is used to verify the adsorption of stearic acid on the powder surface. It is shown that Tougaard nanostructure analysis can be used for determining the thickness of an organic layer on particulate material. The layer thickness of adsorbed stearic acid was estimated to be ～20 Å, corresponding to monolayer adsorption. Time‐of‐flight SIMS analysis verified the adsorption of stearic acid on the powder surface. From the XPS analysis of flat samples it was determined that the use of the metal/oxide universal cross‐section in Tougaard nanostructure analysis best described the increased background due to adsorption of carboxylic acids, and that information about molecular orientation could be gained. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spherical Zinc Oxide Nano Particles from Zinc Acetate in the Precipitation Method

The liquid precipitation method using zinc acetate dihydrate was applied for the synthesis of uniform and spherical ZnO nanoparticles. The ultrafine zinc oxid was prepared in a water‐ethanol mixture solution. The solution containing zinc cation was soluble in water. The surface‐active agent triethanolamine (TEA) was soluble in ethanol. Then alkali precipitated by adding n‐propylamine. The spherical zinc oxide particle morphology was found to be highly dependent on the zinc salt concentration, ethanol‐water ratio, and the surface‐active agent additive. The process can produce white ZnO powder of 50–90 nm in size. The morphology of zinc oxide showed a powder shape by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the crystallization phase structure of zinc oxide by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and the zinc oxide remaining by using an organic analysis by infrared spectroscopy (IR).     

Effect of atomization on surface oxide composition in 316L stainless steel powders for additive manufacturing

The initial oxide state of powder is essential to the robust additive manufacturing of metal components using powder bed fusion processes. However, the variation of the powder surface oxide composition as a function of the atomizing medium is not clear. This work summarizes a detailed surface characterization of three 316L powders, produced using water atomization (WA), vacuum melting inert gas atomization (VIGA), and nitrogen atomization (GA). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy analyses were combined to characterize the surface state of the powders. The results showed that the surface oxides consisted of a thin (~4 nm) iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) layer with particulate oxide phases rich in Cr, Mn, and Si, with a varying composition. XPS analysis combined with depth-profiling showed that the VIGA powder had the lowest surface coverage of particulate compounds, followed by the GA powder, whereas the WA powder had the largest fraction of particulate surface oxides. The composition of the oxides was evaluated based on the XPS analysis of the oxide standards. Effects of Ar sputtering on the peak positions of the oxide standards were evaluated with the aim of providing an accurate analysis of the oxide characteristics at different etch depths.     

ATR-FTIR Investigation of Hydrogen-terminated Si(111) Surface in Various NH4F-Based Solutions

Wet chemical cleaning of silicon is a critical step in the semiconductor manufacturing. Particles, contaminants, metallic impurities, roughness and native oxide on silicon surface after wet chemical cleaning deteriorate the reliability of transistor performance in integrated circuits^[1]. Wet chemical etching of Si(111) and Si(100) in fluoride and alkaline solutions has been extensively studied in the past few years by using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR)^[2-11]. In the present work, we extend our study to Si(111) surface after treating with NH₄F/HCl mixtures. STM, X-ray photo spectroscopy (XPS), and ATR-FTIR are used to determine surface roughness, contamination and bond information on Si(111) surface after wet chemical cleaning with various NH₄F/HCl mixtures. The results are discussed in details by comparison to those treated with RCA and HF solutions, indicating that ultra-clean and flat Si(111) surface is obtained by treatment with NH₄F/HCl mixture.     

Ultra-clean Si(111) and Si(001) Surfaces Prepared by Advanced Wet Chemical Cleaning

Wet chemical cleaning of silicon is a critical step, e.g., pre-gate clean, in the semiconductor manufacturing^[1]. For example, pre-gate oxide cleaning demands ultra-clean silicon surface with least surface roughness. It is well known that metallic infinities and roughness cause the lower breakdown voltage in gate dielectric^[2]. It has stringent requirements for ultra-clean and atomically flat silicon surface as the thickness of gate oxide is decreasing. In the present work, we have extended our study on Si(100) surface13] and extensively investigated wet chemical cleaning of Si(111) and Si(100) surfaces in NH₄F-based solutions by using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (TXRF). Surface roughness, organic contamination, metallic impurities and surface termination on the silicon surfaces after wet chemical cleaning with various NH₄F-based solutions have been determined and compared with those treated with RCA cleans, HF solutions and other industrially used solutions. Our results indicate that ultra-clean and smooth Si(111) and Si(001) surfaces are obtained by treatment with NH4F-based solutions.     

Characterization of non‐Cr‐based deoxidizers on Al alloy 7475‐T7651

The effects of three non‐chromate‐based deoxidizers, namely NaBrO₃/HNO₃, (NH₄)₄Ce(SO₄)₄/H₂SO₄ and Fe(III)/HF/HNO₃, on the Al alloy 7475‐T7651 were investigated. Several analytical methods were employed, including SEM, AES, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy‐loss spectroscopy (EELS) and glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES), to study the effects on the surface of this alloy after each treatment compared with the as‐received and alkaline‐cleaned alloy surfaces. The untreated alloy was found to have a thick oxide of 200–320 nm, consisting mainly of MgO. Alkaline cleaning results in an etching effect that thins the oxide and also deposits a thin silicate layer on the surface. In the case of the deoxidizers, there is significant removal of the native oxide of the alloy by the NaBrO₃/HNO₃ deoxidizer. There is also evidence of intermetallic attack on the alloy. The (NH₄)₄Ce(SO₄)₄/H₂SO₄ deoxidizer, which is a low‐etch‐rate deoxidizer, resulted in a slight thinning of the oxide. However, the effect was not significantly greater than with alkaline cleaning alone. The most effective deoxidizer in reducing the oxide thickness of the alloy is Fe(III)/HF/HNO₃, in which the etch rate was sufficiently high to remove completely the native oxide. In this case, equilibrium between oxide removal and the formation of new oxides on the alloy surface was achieved. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Time-resolved photoluminescence spectra of Si species encapsulated in zeolite supercages

Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Si species encapsulated in zeolite supercages are studied. It is reported that the chained Si species terminated partially with phenyl groups and with some unsaturated bonds are formed in zeolite supercages by the reaction with phenylsilane and they show PL around 4 eV (J. Phys. Chem. 2004, 108, 2501-2508). In the present paper they are reduced with hydrogen to prepare Si chained species terminated and saturated with hydrogen atoms. The PL spectra are deconvoluted to be four components at 1.9, 2.2, 2.6, and 3.7 eV, which can tentatively be assigned to Si nanocrystals and Si quantum wires in addition to defects in SiO2 and uncontrolled organic impurities in zeolite, respectively. At elevated temperatures the Si quantum wires in zeolite pores seem to change the Si nanocrystals with the size larger than that of the zeolite pore diameter. It is the first case in which the PL decay lifetime of oxygen vacancies in zeolite can be detected to be quite short to be about 16 ns. The detected lifetimes of Si quantum wires are significantly very short, about 12 ns. The Si species encapsulated zeolite is solvated with hydrofluoric acid solution to separate the Si quantum wires by dissolving zeolite lattice. The Si quantum wires in the HF solution show intense PL spectra peaked at 2.33 eV and broad UV spectra around 2.8-3.5 eV. They will have different shapes and lengths. The HF solvated zeolite shows still PL spectra characteristic of oxygen vacancies and the absorption edge at 3.6 eV. The result means that zeolite lattice is solvated in HF solution as clusters with a band gap of 3.6 eV and they can still have some oxygen vacancies. Oxygen vacancies situate about 1.0 eV below the zeolite conduction band minimum, and the absorbed energy can be dissipated as PL between the valence band maximum and the oxygen vacancies. It is concluded that the excitation photon energy can be absorbed in zeolite and the Si quantum wires and then the absorbed energies are competitively relaxed in zeolite and the Si quantum wires.     

Application of thermal analysis techniques to study the oxidation/reduction phenomena during sintering of steels containing oxygen-sensitive alloying elements

For the consolidation of steel parts manufactured by powder metallurgy (PM) techniques, removal of the surface oxides covering metallic powder particles is a necessary prerequisite. In PM steels with conventional compositions, reduction of the oxides is easily achieved in traditional sintering furnaces. However, processing steels containing alloying elements with a high oxygen affinity represents a big challenge that requires a deeper understanding of the chemical processes occurring during sintering. In the present work, thermogravimetry analysis coupled with mass spectrometry is used to describe the oxidation/reduction phenomena that take place when sintering steel powders and how these processes are modified by the addition of admixed particles containing oxygen-sensitive elements. Carbothermal reduction processes are studied using pure oxides (Fe₂O₃, MnO₂, Cr₂O₃ and SiO₂) as well as water-atomized Fe powders mixed with small amounts—4 mass/%—of Cr, Mn and Si powders or Fe–Mn–Si–(Cr) master alloy powders. The results show that there is an oxygen transfer from the base iron particles to the oxidation-sensitive elements—“internal getter effect”—taking place mostly through the gas phase. Different alloying elements (Cr, Mn, Si) show different temperature ranges of susceptibility to oxidation. Combination of these oxygen-sensitive alloying elements in the form of a master alloy powder reduces their sensitivity to oxidation. Also, the use of master alloys promotes the concentration of the oxides on the surface of the alloying particles and not in the grain boundaries of the surrounding iron particles—as occurs when using Mn carriers—which should have a beneficial impact on the final mechanical performance.     

Evolution of surface chemistry during sintering of water-atomized iron and low-alloyed steel powder

Water-atomized iron and steel powder is commonly used as the base material for powder metallurgy (PM) of ferrous components. The powder surface chemistry is characterized by a thin surface oxide layer and more thermodynamically stable oxide particulates whose extent, distribution, and composition change during the sintering cycle due to a complex set of oxidation–reduction reactions. In this study, the surface chemistry of iron and steel powder was investigated by combined surface and thermal analysis. The progressive reduction of oxides was studied using model sintering cycles in hydrogen atmospheres in a thermogravimetric (TG) setup, with experiments ended at intermediate steps (500–1300°C) of the heating stage. The surface chemistry of the samples was then investigated by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to reveal changes that occurred during heating. The results show that reduction of the surface oxide layer occurs at relatively lower temperature for the steel powder, attributed to an influence of chromium, which is supported by a strong increase in Cr content immediately after oxide layer reduction. The reduction of the stable oxide particulates was shifted to higher temperatures, reflecting their higher thermodynamic stability. A complementary vacuum annealing treatment at 800°C was performed in a furnace directly connected to the XPS instrument allowing for sample transfer in vacuum. The results showed that Fe oxides were completely reduced, with segregation and growth of Cr and Mn oxides on the particle surfaces. This underlines the sequential reduction of oxides during sintering that reflects the thermodynamic stability and availability of oxide-forming elements.     

Surface chemistry and diffusion of trace and alloying elements during in vacuum thermal deoxidation of stainless steel

Removal of the native surface oxide from steel is an important initial step during vacuum brazing. Trace and alloying elements in steel, such as Mn, Si, and Ni, can diffuse to the surface and influence the deoxidation process. The detailed surface chemical composition and grain morphology of the common stainless-steel grade 316L is imaged and spectroscopically analyzed at several stages of in-vacuum annealing from room temperature up to 850°C. Measurements are performed using synchrotron-based X-ray photoemission and low-energy electron microscopy (XPEEM/LEEM). The initial native Cr surface oxide is amorphous and unaffected by the underlying Fe grain morphology. After annealing to ~700°C, the grain morphology is seen at the surface, persisting also after the complete oxygen removal at 850°C. The surface concentration of first Mn and then Si increases significantly when annealing to 500°C and 700°C, respectively, while Ni and Cr concentrations do not change. Mn and Si are not located only in grain boundaries or clusters but are distributed across over the surface. Both Mn and Si appear as oxides, while Cr oxide becomes metallic Cr. Annealing from 500°C up to 850°C leads to the removal of first the Mn and then Si oxides from the surface, while Cr and Fe are completely reduced to metals. Deoxidation of Cr occurs faster at the grain boundaries, and the final Cr metal surface content varies between the grains. The findings are summarized in a general qualitative model, relevant for austenite steels.     

Nitrogen uptake of nickel free austenitic stainless steel powder during heat treatment—an XPS study

In austenitic stainless steel nitrogen stabilizes the austenitic phase, improves the mechanical properties and increases the corrosion resistance. Nitrogen alloying enables to produce austenitic steels without the element nickel which is high priced and classified as allergy inducing. A novel production route is nitrogen alloying of CrMn‐prealloyed steel powder via the gas phase. This is beneficial as the nitrogen content can be adjusted above the amount that is reached during conventional casting. A problem which has to be overcome is the oxide layer present on the powder surface which impedes both the sintering process and the uptake of nitrogen. This study focuses on whether heat treatment under pure nitrogen is an appropriate procedure to enable sintering and nitrogen uptake by reduction of surface oxides. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (EDS) are used to investigate the surface of powdered FeMn19Cr17C0.4N heat treated under nitrogen atmosphere. The analyses showed reduction of iron oxides already at 500 °C leading to oxide‐free metallic surface zones. Mn and Cr oxides are reduced at higher temperatures. Distinct nitrogen uptake was registered, and successful subsequent sintering was reached. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cleaning of pyrolytic hexagonal boron nitride surfaces

Hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) has recently garnered significant interest as a substrate and dielectric for two‐dimensional materials and devices based on graphene or transition metal dichalcogenides such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). As substrate surface impurities and defects can negatively impact the structure and properties of two‐dimensional materials, h‐BN surface preparation and cleaning are a critical consideration. In this regard, we have utilized X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the influence of several ex situ wet chemical and in situ thermal desorption cleaning procedures on pyrolytic h‐BN surfaces. Of the various wet chemistries investigated, a 10 : 1 buffered HF solution was found to produce surfaces with the lowest amount of oxygen and carbon contamination. Ultraviolet/ozone oxidation was found to be the most effective ex situ treatment for reducing carbon contamination. Annealing at 1050 °C in vacuum or 10^?5 Torr NH₃ was found to further reduce oxygen and carbon contamination to the XPS detection limits. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

XPS and ToF‐SIMS characterization of a Finemet surface: effect of cooling

The surface composition of amorphous Finemet, Fe₇₃Si_15.8B_7.2Cu₁Nb₃, was studied by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS). The as‐received sample in the original state and after Ar⁺ sputter‐cleaning was analyzed at room temperature as well as after cooling to ? 155 °C. In the cooled state, the surface oxide layer composed of oxides of the alloy constituents was found to become enriched with elemental iron and depleted of elemental silicon, boron, oxygen and carbon as compared to the state at room temperature. Interaction of residual water vapor and hydrogen with the complex oxide layer occurring at low temperatures is believed to be responsible for the enhanced formation of surface hydroxides of the alloy constituents. The processes resulting in the observed redistribution of the elements on the surface of Finemet at low temperatures are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

铈基与钴基Co3O4-CeO2氧载体上甲烷化学链转化特性: 产物选择性控制

采用水热法制备了Co₃O₄/CeO₂(x)[x为钴铈原子摩尔比n(Co):n(Ce)=6:49:1]和Ce_1-yCo_yO_2-δ(y=0.10.4)2个系列复合氧化物, 并表征了材料的物理化学性质, 考察了这些氧化物作为氧载体参与甲烷化学链转化(化学链燃烧和化学链部分氧化)的反应性能. 结果表明, 2类复合氧化物的甲烷反应活性均明显优于单一氧化物CeO₂或Co₃O₄, 但2类氧载体上的甲烷反应产物的选择性具有明显差异. Ce_1-yCo_yO_2-δ氧载体形成了Ce-Co-O固溶体, 储氧能力明显增强, 体相晶格氧迁移速率与甲烷活化速率匹配较好, 甲烷反应产物以CO和H₂的合成气为主, 有利于甲烷的化学链部分氧化. Co₃O₄/CeO₂(x)氧载体中CeO₂与Co₃O₄之间的相互作用改善了材料的储氧能力和氧化活性, 其与甲烷反应时主要生成CO₂, 有利于甲烷化学链燃烧. 连续性化学链循环实验表明, 2类氧载体均具有较好的再生性能和循环稳定性.     

有氧气氛中碱金属改性CuAl复合氧化物催化分解N2O的活性

合成了Cu/Al原子比分别为2.0、3.1、4.1的CuAl类水滑石样品,焙烧得到CuAl复合氧化物。在Cu/Al原子比为3.1的CuAl氧化物表面浸渍碱金属盐溶液,制备改性CuAl复合氧化物,用AES、XRD、FT-IR、BET、H₂-TPR、XPS等技术对催化剂进行了结构表征,考察了CuAl复合氧化物组成、碱金属助剂类型和K的前驱物对改性催化剂在有氧气氛中催化分解N₂O活性的影响。结果表明,Na、K、Cs改性CuAl复合氧化物均提高了催化剂活性,但K助剂的增强效应最显著;钾的不同前驱物改性CuAl复合氧化物的催化活性有显著差异,加入碳酸钾、草酸钾提高了催化剂的活性,而加入醋酸钾、硝酸钾反而降低了催化剂活性。优化出的K改性CuAl复合氧化物催化剂在含氧含水气氛的N₂O分解反应中表现出了较高的活性。     

Surface chemical analysis of copper powder used in additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) has during years gained significant interest owing to its endless component design possibilities. One of the most popular AM techniques is laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), which selectively melts metal powder layer-by-layer in a chamber with protective argon atmosphere. This technique is attractive for realizing Cu-based products in which the high electrical conductivity of Cu is combined with component design possibilities. The successful use of Cu powder not only poses challenges owing to the high reflectivity and thermal conductivity of Cu but also involves the important concern of controlling the powder surface chemistry since the powder surface constitutes the main source of oxygen. It is of crucial importance to control the oxygen level in order to maintain good electrical conductivity and brazing ability of the AM-fabricated Cu-part. In LPBF, fine spherical powder with size of 10–60 μm is used, providing significant specific surface area, and this powder is also usually recycled several times, and hence, the role of powder surface chemistry is evident. Two kinds of copper powder with purities 99.70 and 99.95 wt% were analysed in both virgin and in used conditions after numerous printing cycles using LPBF. The powder was analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A clear difference between the two powder grades in terms of surface chemistry was observed. The oxide thickness and bulk oxygen content increased for both powder grades after recycling. The surface oxides under different conditions are identified and the effect of powder purity on the oxide formed is discussed.     

活性炭表面含氧基团的生成及对NO的还原作用

活性炭表面含氧基团的生成及对ＮＯ的还原作用＊高志明杨向光吴越＊＊（中国科学院长春应用化学研究所，长春１３００２２）关键词活性炭，一氧化氮，氧化铜，还原，氧化近几年，随着环保研究的开展，活性炭被用于同时脱硫脱硝反应［１］．活性炭的表面化学性质就成为需要...     

Template‐free Fabrication of Hierarchical Macro‐/mesoporous N‐doped TiO2/graphene Oxide Composites with Enhanced Visible‐light Photocatalytic Activity

Hierarchical macro‐/mesoporous N‐doped TiO₂/graphene oxide (N‐TiO₂/GO) composites were prepared without using templates by the simple dropwise addition mixed solution of tetrabutyl titanate and ethanol containg graphene oxide (GO) to the ammonia solution, and then calcined at 350 °C. The as‐prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) surface area, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV‐Vis absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in an aqueous solution under visible‐light irradiation. The results show that N‐TiO₂/GO composites exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity. GO content exhibited an obvious influence on photocatalytic performance, and the optimal GO addition content was 1 wt%. The enhanced photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the synergetic effects of three factors including the improved visible light absorption, the hierarchical macro‐mesoporous structure, and the efficient charge separation by GO.     

Rational Design of Carboxyl Groups Perpendicularly Attached to a Graphene Sheet: A Platform for Enhanced Biosensing Applications

Graphene oxide (GO)‐based materials offer great potential for biofunctionalization with applications ranging from biosensing to drug delivery. Such biofunctionalization utilizes specific functional groups, typically a carboxyl moiety, as anchoring points for biomolecule. However, due to the fact that the exact chemical structure of GO is still largely unknown and poorly defined (it was postulated to consist of various oxygen‐containing groups, such as epoxy, hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, and peroxy in varying ratios), it is challenging to fabricate highly biofunctionalized GO surfaces. The predominant anchoring sites (i.e., carboxyl groups) are mainly present as terminal groups on the edges of GO sheets and thus account for only a fraction of the oxygen‐containing groups on GO. Herein, we suggest a direct solution to the long‐standing problem of limited abundance of carboxyl groups on GO; GO was first reduced to graphene and consequently modified with only carboxyl groups grafted perpendicularly to its surface by a rational synthesis using free‐radical addition of isobutyronitrile with subsequent hydrolysis. Such grafted graphene oxide can contain a high amount of carboxyl groups for consequent biofunctionalization, at which the extent of grafting is limited only by the number of carbon atoms in the graphene plane; in contrast, the abundance of carboxyl groups on “classical” GO is limited by the amount of terminal carbon atoms. Such a graphene platform embedded with perpendicularly grafted carboxyl groups was characterized in detail by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and its application was exemplified with single‐nucleotide polymorphism detection. It was found that the removal of oxygen functionalities after the chemical reduction enhanced the electron‐transfer rate of the graphene. More importantly, the introduction of carboxyl groups promoted a more efficient immobilization of DNA probes on the electrode surface and improved the performance of graphene as a biosensor in comparison to GO. The proposed material can be used as a universal platform for biomolecule immobilization to facilitate rapid and sensitive detection of DNA or proteins for point‐of‐care investigations. Such reactive carboxyl groups grafted perpendicularly on GO holds promise for a highly efficient tailored biofunctionalization for applications in biosensing or drug delivery.