Analysis of graphene films grown on copper foil at 845 °C by intermediate pressure chemical vapor deposition

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the widely accepted method for synthesis of large area graphene from thermal decomposition of hydrocarbons. However, the high temperature (above 1000 °C) requirement is the major drawback of this technique. The present study is an effort towards growing graphene on copper foil using methane at a temperature of 845 °C without incorporation of any additional energy sources. This is achieved by tailoring the growth parameters at 8 mbar in thermal chemical vapor deposition. The effect of total pressure and the effect of growth-supporting gases on the growth and number of layers of graphene were analyzed to select a favorable deposition condition. Graphene formation and its uniformity were examined by Raman spectroscopy, SEM, optical microscopy, AFM and TEM analysis. No studies till date, have reported a growth temperature as low as 845 °C for complete graphene coverage on copper by thermal CVD using methane as the precursor. The low temperature can reduce the thermal budget for graphene production to a certain extent.