# US 2021/0276873 A1 · Methods of forming graphene and graphene manufacturing apparatuses

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- Number: US 2021/0276873 A1
- Document ID: US20210276873A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/190,852
- Filed: 2021-03-03
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-04
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Sangwon KIM; Kyung-Eun BYUN; Hyeonjin SHIN; Eunkyu LEE; Changseok LEE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276873A1

## CPC

- C01B 32/186: by chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- Y10T 428/30: Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A graphene manufacturing apparatus includes a reaction chamber a substrate supporter configured to structurally support a substrate inside the reaction chamber; a plasma generator configured to generate a plasma inside the reaction chamber; a first gas supply configured to supply an inert gas into the reaction chamber at a first height from an upper surface of the substrate supporter in a height direction of the reaction chamber; a second gas supply configured to supply a carbon source into the reaction chamber at a second height from the upper surface of the substrate supporter in the height direction of the reaction chamber; and a third gas supply configured to supply a reducing gas into the reaction chamber, wherein the first to third gas supply units are disposed at different heights at a third height from the upper surface of the substrate supporter in the height direction of the reaction chamber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A graphene manufacturing apparatus, comprising:
a reaction chamber;
a substrate supporter inside the reaction chamber, the substrate supporter configured to structurally support a substrate inside the reaction chamber;
a plasma generator configured to generate a plasma inside the reaction chamber;
a first gas supply configured to supply an inert gas into the reaction chamber at a first height from an upper surface of the substrate supporter in a height direction of the reaction chamber;
a second gas supply configured to supply a carbon source into the reaction chamber at a second height from the upper surface of the substrate supporter in the height direction of the reaction chamber; and
a third gas supply configured to supply a reducing gas into the reaction chamber at a third height from the upper surface of the substrate supporter in the height direction of the reaction chamber,
wherein the first height is greater than the second height, and the second height is greater than the third height.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the third height to the second height is greater than 0 and less than about 0.9.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third gas supply is configured to supply the reducing gas into the reaction chamber at a flow rate that is greater than or equal to about 0.1 sccm and less than or equal to about 100 sccm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reducing gas includes hydrogen gas.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plasma generator includes a radio frequency (RF) plasma generator or a microwave (MW) plasma generator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second gas supply includes an injection plate that traverses an interior of the reaction chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third gas supply includes a plurality of nozzles spaced apart from each other at particular intervals along a sidewall of the reaction chamber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon source includes a hydrocarbon having an ionization energy of equal to or less than about 10.6 eV.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gas supply includes a shower ring extending in a ring shape along a sidewall of the reaction chamber.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
processing circuitry configured to control the flow rate of the reducing gas, wherein the reducing gas has a laminar flow at the flow rate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a heater configured to generate heat that is transmitted to the substrate structurally supported by the substrate supporter.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A method of forming graphene based on using the graphene manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, the method comprising:
placing a non-catalyst substrate inside the reaction chamber such that the non-catalyst substrate is structurally supported on the upper surface of the substrate supporter, the non-catalyst substrate including a material that is configured to not act as a catalyst for growing graphene;
pre-treating a surface of the non-catalyst substrate based on supplying the reducing gas into the reaction chamber; and
directly growing graphene on a surface of the non-catalyst substrate based on supplying the carbon source, the inert gas, and the reducing gas into the reaction chamber in a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process that includes generating a plasma inside the reaction chamber, wherein the reducing gas has an ionization energy equal to or less than about 10.6 eV.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein a ratio of the third height to the second height is greater than 0 and less than 0.9.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the reducing gas is supplied to the reaction chamber at a flow rate that is greater than or equal to about 0.1 sccm and less than or equal to about 100 sccm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the reducing gas includes a hydrogen gas.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the plasma is generated based on using a radio frequency (RF) plasma generator or a microwave (MW) plasma generator.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the non-catalyst substrate includes at least one of a Group IV semiconductor material, a semiconductor compound, a metal, or an insulating material.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the pre-treating of the surface of the non-catalyst substrate includes forming at least one of charges or an activation site that induces adsorption of activated carbon on the surface of the non-catalyst substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the directly growing of graphene is performed at a pressure equal to or less than about 10 Torr.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the directly growing of graphene is performed at a process temperature equal to or less than about 700° C.

### Claim at position 21

21-30. (canceled)