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Single process CVD growth of hBN/Graphene heterostructures on copper thin films

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Abstract

In this study, we have successfully grown hBN/graphene heterostructures on copper thin films using chemical vapor deposition in a single process. The first and most surprising result is that graphene grows underneath hBN and adjacent to the Cu film even though it is deposited second. This was determined from cross-sectional TEM analysis and XPS depth profiling, which chemically identified the relative positions of hBN and graphene. The effect of various growth conditions on graphene/hBN heterostructures was also studied. It was found that a pressure of 200 torr and a hydrogen flow rate of 200 sccm (∼1 H2/N2) yielded the highest quality of graphene, with full surface coverage occurring after a growth time of 120 min. The resulting graphene films were found to be approximately 6–8 layers thick. The grain size of the nanocrystalline graphene was found to be 15–50 nm varying based on growth conditions.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under award number FA9550-16RYCOR331. The TEM sample preparation, ultrafast EDS, and imaging were performed by the Surface Analysis and Nano-Scale Imaging Laboratory at the Utah Nanofab (University of Utah).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. KBRwyle, Beavercreek, Ohio, 45433, USA

    Gene Siegel, Gordon Grzybowski & Timothy Prusnick

  2. Sensors Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, 45433, USA

    Gene Siegel, Gordon Grzybowski, Timothy Prusnick & Michael Snure

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  1. Gene Siegel
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Correspondence to Gene Siegel.

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Siegel, G., Grzybowski, G., Prusnick, T. et al. Single process CVD growth of hBN/Graphene heterostructures on copper thin films. Journal of Materials Research 33, 4233–4240 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2018.392

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