Continuous single crystal growth of graphene
AssigneeUT-Battelle, LLC
InventorsFrederick Alyious List, III, Yijing Y. Stehle, Ivan V. Vlassiouk, Sergei N. Smirnov
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Abstract
Systems and methods for synthesizing continuous single crystal graphene are provided. A catalytic substrate is drawn through a chemical vapor deposition chamber in a first lengthwise direction while flowing a hydrogen gas through the chemical vapor deposition chamber in the same lengthwise direction. A hydrocarbon precursor gas is supplied directly above a surface of the catalytic substrate. A high concentration gradient of the hydrocarbon precursor at the crystal growth front is generated to promote the growth of a continuous single crystal graphene film while suppressing the growth of seed domains ahead of the crystal growth front.
Claims12
A method of synthesizing graphene comprising:
- heating the interior of a chemical vapor deposition chamber to a temperature above 800° C.;
- drawing a catalytic substrate through the interior of the chemical vapor deposition chamber in a first lengthwise direction;
- introducing hydrogen gas into the interior of the chemical vapor deposition chamber in the same first lengthwise direction such that the hydrogen gas includes a flow rate of at least 15 cm/s in the first lengthwise direction, the hydrogen gas being mixed with an inert gas;
- and
- flowing a hydrocarbon gas through a reactive supply conduit and introducing the hydrocarbon gas into the interior of the chemical deposition chamber downwardly at an angle relative to the first lengthwise direction through an opening in the reactive supply conduit, the opening being immediately above a major surface of the catalytic substrate at a crystal growth front,
- wherein the hydrocarbon gas and the hydrogen gas form a precursor gas mixture, and wherein the catalytic substrate reacts with the precursor gas mixture to form continuous single crystal graphene on the catalytic substrate while being drawn in the same direction as the flow of the hydrogen gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.