Fast and non-catalytic growth of transparent and conductive graphene-like carbon films on glass at low temperature

Abstract

This article presents the synthesis and systematic study of graphene-like carbon thin films directly grown on commercial glass by using remote electron cyclotron resonance plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition. The fabrication process is extremely rapid and performed on 2 inch scale dielectric substrate at relatively low temperature (<550 °C) without using metal catalyst. This method avoids damaging and expensive transfer processes of graphene based films and improves compatibility with current fabrication technologies. Nanostructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy indicates the formation of layered graphene-like carbon material. Raman spectroscopy shows that the film consists of nanocrystals with a mean domain size close to 2 nm, probably interconnected by amorphous material. These graphene-like carbon based films are transparent and conductive. Functional optoelectric characterization of these films confirms their high transparency over 95% and relative high conductivity around 5 kΩ, exceeding the properties of non-doped small domain graphene based films grown at low temperatures reported so far.