Large area deposition of graphene via hetero-epitaxial growth, and products including the same
First Claim
1. A method of making a graphene thin film, the method comprising:
- providing a back support substrate;
disposing a catalyst thin film, directly or indirectly, on the back support substrate;
introducing a hydrocarbon inclusive gas proximate to the catalyst thin film;
heating the back support substrate to cause the hydrocarbon inclusive gas to at least partially separate the carbon in the hydrocarbon inclusive gas and promote graphene growth in and/or on the catalyst thin film; and
actively cooling the back support substrate to promote crystallization of graphene, directly or indirectly, on an outermost surface of the catalyst thin film, in making the graphene thin film, said active cooling being performed in connection with an inert gas and in accordance with a cooling temperature profile that, as a whole, is non-constant, non-uniform, and non-linear in speed, and cools the back substrate from 900 degrees C. to 700 degrees C.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the use of graphene as a transparent conductive coating (TCC). In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films grown on large areas hetero-epitaxially, e.g., on a catalyst thin film, from a hydrocarbon gas (such as, for example, C2H2, CH4, or the like). The graphene thin films of certain example embodiments may be doped or undoped. In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films, once formed, may be lifted off of their carrier substrates and transferred to receiving substrates, e.g., for inclusion in an intermediate or final product. Graphene grown, lifted, and transferred in this way may exhibit low sheet resistances (e.g., less than 150 ohms/square and lower when doped) and high transmission values (e.g., at least in the visible and infrared spectra).
123 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of making a graphene thin film, the method comprising:
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providing a back support substrate; disposing a catalyst thin film, directly or indirectly, on the back support substrate; introducing a hydrocarbon inclusive gas proximate to the catalyst thin film; heating the back support substrate to cause the hydrocarbon inclusive gas to at least partially separate the carbon in the hydrocarbon inclusive gas and promote graphene growth in and/or on the catalyst thin film; and actively cooling the back support substrate to promote crystallization of graphene, directly or indirectly, on an outermost surface of the catalyst thin film, in making the graphene thin film, said active cooling being performed in connection with an inert gas and in accordance with a cooling temperature profile that, as a whole, is non-constant, non-uniform, and non-linear in speed, and cools the back substrate from 900 degrees C. to 700 degrees C. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20)
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16. A method of hetero-epitaxially growing a graphene thin film in making a graphene thin film, the method comprising:
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providing a back support; disposing a metal catalyst thin film, directly or indirectly, on the back support substrate; introducing a hydrocarbon inclusive gas proximate to the metal catalyst thin film at a pressure of 5-150 mTorr; heating the back support substrate to a temperature greater than about 700 degrees C. to cause the hydrocarbon inclusive gas to at least partially separate the carbon in the hydrocarbon inclusive gas; growing graphite on the metal catalyst thin film; exposing the metal catalyst thin film to hydrogen atom etchants from a non-liquid source to form graphane; and further exposing the graphane to further hydrogen atom etchants from the non-liquid source to form graphene, in making the graphene thin film. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of making a graphene thin film, the method comprising:
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providing a back support substrate; disposing a catalyst thin film, directly or indirectly, on the back support substrate, wherein the catalyst thin film comprises a nickel-chromium alloy, and wherein the amount of chromium is 3-15% of the nickel-chromium alloy; introducing a hydrocarbon inclusive gas proximate to the catalyst thin film; heating the back support substrate to cause the hydrocarbon inclusive gas to at least partially separate the carbon in the hydrocarbon inclusive gas and promote graphene growth in and/or on the catalyst thin film; and cooling the back support substrate to promote crystallization of graphene, directly or indirectly, on an outermost surface of the catalyst thin film, in making the graphene thin film, in connection with a quenching process. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification