Ordered Growth of Large Crystal Graphene by Laser-Based Localized Heating for High Throughput Production

A method of making a coated graphene structure, the method comprising:

• exposing a substrate to a laser beam to locally melt a portion of the substrate;
• exposing the substrate to a laser beam in the presence of a carbon source to form a nucleation site for a graphene crystal;
• either a) moving either the substrate or the laser beam relative to the other, or b) decreasing the laser beam power, in order to increase the size of the graphene crystal, thereby forming an ordered graphene structure;
• forming a polymer coating on the ordered graphene structure to form a coated graphene structure;
• and
• stacking or rolling the coated graphene structure.

An apparatus for growing graphene, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a chamber housing a substrate;
• b) a laser arranged to direct a laser beam onto the substrate;
• c) a means for providing a gaseous carbon source to the chamber;
• d) a substrate handling mechanism adapted for holding a substrate;
• and
• e) a means for applying a protective coating.