Graphene formed at low temperature

A method for synthesizing graphene at low temperatures is reported in Nature Communications this week. This could open up new possibilities for the fabrication of nanoelectronic devices based on the material. Graphene is considered to be a highly promising material for potential electronic applications as a result of its unique physical properties. A significant challenge obstructing its widespread use is the lack of cheap methods for fabricating it in large area films. Soon-Yong Kwon and colleagues present an alternative approach that relies on the diffusion of carbon to the bottom of a substrate, rather than its deposition at the top. Importantly, the method works at close to room temperature — far below the temperatures required for current large-area fabrication of graphene. Because it does not rely on the transfer of graphene from metal surfaces to substrates suitable for device applications, the method could have important implications for the way electronic devices based on graphene are fabricated in the future.