Growth Study and Characterization of Single-Layer Graphene Structures Deposited on Copper Substrate by Chemical Vapour Deposition. [Capítol llibre]

Abstract

Currently, the graphene industry is moving forward to the import of graphene in a number of novel applications. To take full advantage of the excellent properties of the material, the standardization of the growth process is an emergency. The suitable growth technique should ensure the high yield, accompanied by high quality of single-layer graphene sheets. Chemical vapour deposition is the technology that fulfils the above requirements, promoting the growth of largescale graphene films through automatized processes. In the present chapter, we present the latest advances in this field, summarizing the most recent publication activity of the authors. The results outline how the control in the growth process over parameters like the gases flow, growth temperature and pressure can affect the nucleation density of graphene domains, the growth rate and percent coverage. Growth of graphene domains with different morphologies depends on the crystallographic orientation of the copper lattice. At the same time, the formation of ripples occurs in the graphene surface as a result of the copper foil compression during the cooling step. These ripples are responsible for the appearance of a compressive stress in the graphene sheets. We demonstrate the control over such stress through the variation in the hydrogen flow during the growth.