Single Layer Graphene

As mentioned, graphene can be grown on metal surfaces by surface segregation of carbon or by decomposition of hydrocarbons. However, this technique is only practical for graphene production if the as-grown graphene can be transferred from the metal substrates to other substrates, which looks straightforward but only was realized for multilayer and non-uniform films recently with Ni, and for uniform monolayer graphene, with Cu. In contrast to the use of high-cost single crystal metals and UHV systems in previous work by the surface science community, few-layer graphene films were grown on polycrystalline Ni foils by CVD of methane under atmospheric pressure by controlling the cooling rate of the metal substrates so as to suppress carbon precipitation during cool-down.