Low Temperature Graphene Film Formation with Ethane Cluster Ion Implantation

Low-temperature formation of graphene films with ethane gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) implantations were investigated. Ethane GCIBs realize both shallow carbon implantation and creation of high temperature and high pressure conditions simultaneously, which lead to reduction of substrate temperature for graphene formation. By optimization of deposition conditions, it was found that graphene like films were formed on Ni by 5 keV ethane GCIB irradiations at substrate temperature of 400 °C, which was much lower than that required for a typical CVD graphene deposition (800-1000 °C).