Multi-wafer batch synthesis of graphene on Cu films by quasi-static flow chemical vapor deposition

The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of graphene on thin Cu film wafers is highly desirable for the development of technological applications as it offers superior flatness, rigidity, high purity, and compatibility with conventional thin film techniques. Here, we report the high-throughput synthesis of uniform single-layer highly crystalline graphene on a batch of 3-inch wafers. The production throughput is optimized by using closely-packed vertically-standing wafers instead of placing them flat on a horizontal support. Significantly reducing convective gas transport is found to be essential to minimize the variation of graphene single crystal seeding density and growth rate across individual wafers. Given the very small amount of carbon required to grow an atomically-thin layer, we show that graphene can be grown under static gas flow conditions and that the growth rate does not significantly vary from one wafer to another, even within a large batch (∼25 wafers). These findings constitute an important technological step toward the manufacturing of graphene on an industrial scale and its integration into mainstream electronics or micro-electromechanical devices.