Graphene Production Using Laser Heated Crystal Growth

• US 20120132353A1
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Hauck, James Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 8,512,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/272.8
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 40/00 Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/184 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/165 the flow of the reactive gases

Abstract

Implementations and techniques for producing graphene are generally disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for producing graphene comprising:

affixing a seed crystal to a support substrate such that the seed crystal faces substantially downwardly from the support substrate about a location;

providing a feedstock substantially adjacent to the seed crystal about the location; and

applying a laser beam to heat at least a portion of the seed crystal and at least a portion of the feedstock about the location, wherein a graphene crystal is formed that hangs substantially downwardly from the surface of the support structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying an electrostatic field, wherein the electrostatic field is effective to apply a straightening force to the downwardly hanging graphene crystal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein affixing the seed crystal to the support substrate comprises securing the seed crystal to the support substrate with an epoxy.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein affixing the seed crystal to the support substrate comprises aligning a crystal growth axis of the seed crystal such that the feedstock and the laser beam are provided incident to the crystal growth axis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedstock comprises at least one of carbon, graphite particles, an oxidizer or a reducer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the laser beam comprises passing the laser beam through beam shaping optics.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the beam shaping optics comprise a reflaxicon.

8. An apparatus for producing graphene comprising:

a seed crystal affixed to a support substrate such that the seed crystal faces substantially downwardly from the support substrate about a location;

a feedstock injector configured to provide a feedstock substantially adjacent to the seed crystal about the location;

a laser configured to selectively generate a laser beam; and

beam shaping optics configured to couple the laser beam to at least a portion of the seed crystal and at least a portion of the feedstock about the location to form a downwardly hanging graphene crystal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

an electrostatic enclosure configured to selectively provide an electrostatic field, wherein the electrostatic field is effective to apply a straightening force to the downwardly hanging graphene crystal.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the support substrate comprises at least one of silicon carbide, silicon dioxide or copper.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the seed crystal comprises a graphene seed crystal having a crystal growth axis aligned such that the feedstock from the feedstock injector and the laser beam are provided incident to the crystal growth axis.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the seed crystal is affixed to the support substrate with an epoxy.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the feedstock comprises at least one of carbon, graphite particles, an oxidizer or a reducer.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the laser comprises at least one of a CO₂ laser, a Nd:

YAG laser or a laser diode.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the beam shaping optics comprise a reflaxicon.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the laser and the beam shaping optics are cooperatively configured to provide multiple laser beams in a linear two dimensional array.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a process unit control logic coupled to the feedstock injector and the laser, wherein the process unit control logic is configured to selectively activate the feedstock injector to inject the feedstock and also configured to selectively activate the laser to provide the laser beam.

18. An article comprising:

a computer program product having stored therein instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, configure the processing unit to;

provide a feedstock substantially adjacent to a seed crystal about a location, wherein the seed crystal is affixed to a support substrate about the location such that the seed crystal faces substantially downwardly from the support substrate; and

selectively provide a laser beam to heat at least a portion of the seed crystal and at least a portion of the feedstock about the location, wherein a graphene crystal is formed that hangs substantially downwardly from the surface of the support structure.

19. The article of claim 18, the computer program product having stored therein further instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, configure the processing unit to:

selectively provide an electrostatic field, wherein the electrostatic field is effective to apply a straightening force to the graphene crystal.

20. The article of claim 18, the computer program product having stored therein further instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, configure the processing unit to:

remove the formed graphene crystal from the support substrate.