Breakthrough in Graphene Technology: Direct Growth of Wafer-Scale Single-Crystal Graphene Films

In a recent groundbreaking advancement, the team led by Academician Liu Zhongfan has made a significant leap forward in graphene technology. With the innovative design and development of an electromagnetic induction heating device for ultra-high temperature graphene growth, they have successfully achieved the direct growth of wafer-scale single-layer graphene films on the C-face of sapphire substrates.

This remarkable achievement stems from a carefully optimized growth process that favors the high-quality development of graphene on insulating substrates, both kinetically and thermodynamically. The ultra-high temperature environment provided by the newly developed graphene growth device overcomes the high thermal decomposition potential and migration barriers of the carbon source. This ensures the effective decomposition of the carbon source and the rapid migration of active carbon species on the surface. Additionally, the high temperatures facilitate the graphene-Al2O3 (0001) interface reaching its lowest energy conformation, promoting the uniform orientation of graphene islands. A special "cold wall" design further reduces the vapor phase temperature, suppressing the formation of amorphous carbon and multi-layer nucleation as side reactions.

Within just 30 minutes, this process yields wafer-scale high-quality single-layer graphene, characterized by high carrier mobility (~14,700 cm^2V^-1s^-1) and low sheet resistance (~587 Ω/□). This pioneering work, titled "Direct growth of wafer-scale highly-oriented graphene on sapphire," has been published in Science Advances.

This breakthrough not only showcases the Liu Zhongfan team's dedication to innovation but also opens up new avenues for the application of graphene in various industries, including electronics, energy, and materials science. It marks a significant step forward in the quest for advanced materials that can drive technological progress and sustainable development.