Method allows growth of defect-free graphene

Graphene can be fabricated using chemical vapour deposition but the method can lead to the creation of graphene flakes that are formed with random orientations, leaving defects or ‘seams’ between flakes that grow together.

The Oxford University-led discovery, reported in a paper to be published in ACS Nano, reveals how these graphene flakes (domains) can be lined up by manipulating the alignment of carbon atoms on a relatively cheap copper foil. This is because the atomic structure of the copper surface acts as a guide that controls the orientation of the carbon atoms growing on top of them.

According to the university, a combination of control of this copper guide and the pressure applied during growth makes it possible to control the thickness of these domains, the geometry of their edges and the grain boundaries where they meet — seams that act as obstacles to the smooth progress of electrons necessary to create efficient graphene-based electrical and electronic devices.