Direct formation of graphene on semiconductor substrates and structures prepared thereby

Abstract

The invention generally related to a method for preparing a layer of graphene directly on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming a carbon-containing layer on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate and depositing a metal film on the carbon layer. A thermal cycle degrades the carbon-containing layer, which forms graphene directly upon the semiconductor substrate upon cooling. In some embodiments, the carbon source is a carbon-containing gas, and the thermal cycle causes diffusion of carbon atoms into the metal film, which, upon cooling, segregate and precipitate into a layer of graphene directly on the semiconductor substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multilayer article comprising:
 a semiconductor wafer comprising two major, generally parallel surfaces, one of which is a front surface of the semiconductor wafer and the other of which is a back surface of the semiconductor wafer, a circumferential edge joining the front and back surfaces, and a central plane between the front and back surfaces; and   a layer of graphene in contact with the front surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the layer of graphene is selected from the group consisting of non-doped graphene, nitrogen-doped graphene, boron-doped graphene, and nitrogen-doped and boron-doped graphene.   
     
     
         2 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor wafer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, silicon carbide, silicon germanium, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, indium phosphide, indium gallium arsenide, and germanium, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor wafer has a diameter of at least about 200 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the semiconductor wafer has a diameter of at least about 300 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the front surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises a dielectric layer. 
     
     
         6 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the front surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises a silicon oxide layer. 
     
     
         7 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the front surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises a silicon nitride layer. 
     
     
         8 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the layer of graphene in contact with the front surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises a single mono-atomic layer of graphene. 
     
     
         9 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the layer of graphene in contact with the front surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises a bi-layer of graphene, each layer of the bi-layer comprising a layer of graphene of mono-atomic thickness. 
     
     
         10 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the layer of graphene in contact with the front surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises nitrogen-doped graphene. 
     
     
         11 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the layer of graphene in contact with the front surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises boron-doped graphene. 
     
     
         12 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  wherein the layer of graphene in contact with the front surface of the semiconductor wafer comprises nitrogen-doped and boron-doped graphene. 
     
     
         13 . The multilayer article of  claim 1  further comprising a metal film in contact with the layer of graphene, the metal film comprising a front metal film surface, a back metal film surface, and a bulk metal region between the front and back metal film surfaces, and further wherein the metal film comprises metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, iron, platinum, palladium, ruthenium, cobalt, and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The multilayer article of  claim 13  wherein the metal film comprises nickel. 
     
     
         15 . The multilayer article of  claim 13  wherein the metal film comprises copper. 
     
     
         16 . The multilayer article of  claim 13  wherein the metal film comprises cobalt. 
     
     
         17 . The multilayer article of  claim 13  further comprising a second layer of graphene in contact with the front metal film surface.