Few-layer graphene films are grown using a Molecular Beam Deposition (MBD) technique in ultra-high vacuum by evaporation of atomic carbon and subsequent annealing of the samples at 800–900 °C. The graded thickness layers are grown on strip-shaped oxidized silicon substrates which are covered with 300 nm thick nickel films deposited by e-beam evaporation. The thickness of the deposited carbon layers changes continuously from 70 Å to less than 4 Å. The relatively narrow optical phonon bands in Raman spectroscopy reveal that good quality multilayer graphene films form on the Ni surface.

This work is supported by ONR (N000140610138 and Graphene Muri), NSF (CHE-0117752 and CHE-0641523),NYSTAR, Spanish CAM (Q&C Light, S2009ESP-1503), Spanish MICINN (NANINPHO-QD, TEC2008-06756-C03- 01, CONSOLIDER QOIT and Salvador de Madariaga Grant no. PR2007-0036).

Peer reviewed