Low-temperature growth of graphene on iron substrate by molecular beam epitaxy

Graphene has attracted a great deal of interest due to its fascinating properties and a wide variety of potential applications. Several methods have been used to achieve high-quality graphene films on different substrates. However, there have been only a few studies on graphene growth on iron (Fe) and the growth mechanism remains unclear. This paper systematically investigates temperature-dependent growth of graphene on Fe substrate by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy. Two-dimensional (2D), large-area graphene samples were grown on Fe thin films, and characterized by Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It is found that graphene flakes can be grown on Fe at a growth temperature as low as 400 °C and the optimized large-area graphene growth temperature is relatively low between 500 °C and 550 °C. The graphene growth on Fe that undergoes the formation and decomposition of iron carbide is discussed. - Highlights: • Temperature-dependent growth of graphene on Fe using MBE is studied. • Graphene is achieved on Fe at a wide growth temperature range and as low as 400 °C. • Graphene growth on Fe is associated with formation and decomposition of iron carbide.