This invention relates to graphene, and in particular to large area uniformly or substantially uniformly doped graphene.

The doping of graphene, for example to enhance its electrical properties, reducing its electrical resistance, or alter other properties thereof, is known. By way of example, a method is described in Adv. Mat. 24, 2844 (2012) (I Khrapach et al) by which small chips of flakes of graphene may be doped with iron (III) chloride. The method involves placing the small chips or flakes of graphene and iron (III) chloride under low pressure conditions for a period of time during which the graphene and iron (III) chloride are heated. This process may be repeated several times. It has been found that the method produces doped few layer graphene chips or flakes, the graphene layers being intercalated with the iron (III) chloride. The resulting doped product is of considerably reduced electrical resistance compared to pristine graphene chips or flakes, with resistance or resistivity values comparable with the best known transparent conductors.

Whilst the method outlined hereinbefore and described in the I Khrapach et al paper produces small doped graphene flakes or chips, it has been found that it is only effective when used with small chips or flakes of graphene. Its use with larger area graphene elements has been found to produce non-uniform doping with the result that the graphene elements so doped would be unsuitable for use in the industrial scale production of, for example, electronic equipment. Accordingly, the I Khrapach method has been found to be of only limited applicability.

It is an object of the invention to provide methods by which uniformly or substantially uniformly doped multi-layered graphene elements of relatively large area can be produced, the method being suitable for use in large or industrial scale manufacturing processes. The invention also relates to doped relatively large area graphene elements produced using the methods. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a uniformly or substantially uniformly doped relatively large area multi-layered graphene element comprising the steps of: forming openings in a multi-layered graphene element of relatively large area; placing the graphene element and a dopant under low pressure conditions; and holding the graphene element and dopant at an elevated temperature for a period of time whilst under the low pressure conditions.

The elevated temperature may be in the region of 330°C, for example. The multilayered graphene element may be formed by the transfer of multiple layers of CVD formed or grown graphene onto one another.

By forming openings in the graphene element, it has been found that the intercalation process by which the dopant enters the graphene structure is enhanced as the perimeter of the graphene element through which the dopant can enter is increased for a given area of graphene element. The presence of the openings does not significantly interfere with the optical or electrical properties of the material. The resilience of the material to atmospheric conditions and high temperatures is unchanged.

The openings may be formed by drilling, for example using an appropriately controlled laser, or may be etched into the graphene element.

The openings may extend completely through the graphene element. Alternatively, it may be possible to achieve at least some of the benefits of the invention by forming openings which extend through only some of the layers of the graphene element.

The dopant conveniently takes the form of iron (III) chloride. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is not restricted in this regard. By way of example, the dopant could comprise a precursor such as aluminium chloride. The precursor may subsequently be substituted with another dopant, for example iron (III) chloride. Such a substitution technique is thought to allow the intercalation process to be accelerated.

The graphene element is conveniently of area at least 0.75cm ² , preferably greater than 1 cm ² , and may be considerably larger than this. The element conveniently has between 2 and 10 layers, and thus is a few layer graphene element.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a uniformly or substantially uniformly doped relatively large area multi-layered graphene element comprising the steps of: producing a relatively large area multi-layered graphene element by an epitaxial growth technique; placing the graphene element and a dopant under low pressure conditions; and holding the graphene element and dopant at an elevated temperature for a period of time whilst under the low pressure conditions.

It has been found that whilst the technique described in the I Khrapach et al paper is not suitable for use with relatively large chips or flakes of multi-layer graphene produced using, for example, the Scotch tape technique, where multi-layered graphene is produced by epitaxial growth, intercalation to produce a uniformly or substantially uniformly doped relatively large area graphene element using such a method is possible.

The invention further relates to a multi-layered uniformly or substantially uniformly doped relatively large area graphene element produced using one of the methods described hereinbefore. The invention will further be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 a to 1d are diagrammatic representations illustrating steps in the process for forming a doped relatively large area multi-layer graphene element in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

A relatively large area, multi-layered graphene element 10 is illustrated in Figure 1 a. By way of example, the element 10 may be of dimensions 1 cm x 1cm. The element 10 may be formed or produced in a range of ways. By way of example, it may be formed by positioning a series of monolayer graphene elements upon one another using a suitable transferring technique such as a wet technique. The monolayer elements may be grown or deposited on a host substrate, for example deposited upon a polycrystalline copper foil using a CVD technique, and subsequently moved using a wet transferring technique so as to be positioned upon one another on a suitable host substrate such as a silicon wafer. Alternatively, a multi-layered graphene element grown on a polycrystalline nickel foil may be wet transferred onto a silicon wafer or other suitable substrate.

The element 10 is modified, as shown in Figure 1 b, to form openings 12 therein. The size and positions of the openings 12 are chosen so as to increase the perimeter through which, during subsequent parts of the process, a dopant can enter the element. By way of example, where the element has an area of 1 cm ² it is thought that the formation of a single opening of diameter in the region of 5μηι formed close to the centre of the element 10 is sufficient. However, the invention is not restricted in this regard. Accordingly, a greater number of openings 12 may be formed. They may be arranged randomly, or may be formed in a predetermined pattern. By increasing the number of openings 12 for a given size of element 10, it will be appreciated that it may be possible to use smaller openings 12 than would otherwise be the case. The openings 12 may be formed in any convenient manner. By way of example, a drilling process may be used in the formation of the openings 12. The drilling process may take the form of a laser drilling process. In such an arrangement, the size holes which can be formed may be governed, to some extent, by the spot size of the laser used in the drilling process.

Rather than use a laser drilling process, a chemical etching process could be used after appropriate masking of the element 10.

The holes 12 may extend through the full thickness of the element 10, or may extend through only part of the element 10, if desired.

After formation of the opening(s) 12 in the element 10, the element 10 and a dopant material 16, for example iron (III) chloride, are positioned within a reaction vessel 14 (see Figure 1c) such as a sealable glass tube connected to a vacuum pump 18 whereby gas can be extracted from the vessel 14 to reduce the pressure therein. The pressure within the reaction vessel 14 is conveniently reduced to a level below 5x10 ^"4 torr, and preferably below 2x10 ^"4 torr, and the reaction vessel 14 is heated to raise the temperature of the element 10 and dopant material 16 to around 300°C. The element 10 and dopant material 16 are held at this elevated temperature and reduced pressure for a period of time in the region of 8 hours. Whilst being held at an elevated temperature and reduced pressure, the dopant is able to infiltrate or enter the element 10 from the periphery or perimeter thereof, entering between the layers of the element 10 to form an intercalated product. The dopant 16 can also enter the element 10 at the perimeter or periphery of the holes 12. It will be appreciated, therefore, that entry of the dopant 16 into the element 10 is enhanced.

After completion of the steps outlined hereinbefore, the reaction vessel 14 is cooled and the pressure therein allowed to return to atmospheric pressure. The dopant material 16 which has infiltrated between the layers of the element 10 will tend to remain in position, as shown in Figure 1d. By forming one or more openings 12 in the element 10 prior to performing the doping operation, the length of the perimeter of the element 10 through which the dopant material 16 is able to enter the element 10 is increased, and dopant is able to enter the element 10 at positions other than just at the edges of the element 10. As a result, doping of the element 10 occurs relatively quickly, and a relatively uniformly doped element 10 is produced.

It has been found that by the use of the technique described hereinbefore, a graphene element of substantially uniform doping can be produced, the doping of the element resulting in the element having a resistivity in the region of 16Q/D. The doped element has a good optical transmittance and environmental stability, having values similar to those of commonly used Indium Tin Oxide. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique, a series of tests have been conducted on an element 10 doped using the technique described hereinbefore.

It was found that the resistance of a treated or doped element produced using the technique outlined hereinbefore had a resistance significantly lower than that of a pristine, non-doped element. By conducting Raman spectroscopy on an element doped using the technique outlined hereinbefore and on a pristine, non-doped element it was found that peaks indicative of the intercalation of iron (III) chloride were present in the doped sample, and that the peaks indicated a decoupling of the layers of graphene, which is also indicative of the success of the intercalation procedure. The doping of the graphene, whilst enhancing the electrical properties of the graphene element, did not significantly affect the optical properties thereof, the element 10 still being of high optical transmittance.

In an alternative technique in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the graphene element 10, rather than taking the form of a series of monolayers which have been transferred onto one another or a multi-layer element produced by the use of a CVD technique, the element 10 takes the form of an epitaxially formed or grown multi-layered graphene element 10. In this embodiment, the element 10 comprises epitaxially grown graphene on a 4H- or 6H-S1C substrate. The element has a surface area in the region of 1 cm ² .

It has been found that with such an element, despite the layer spacing being smaller than is the case where the element is formed using other techniques, intercalation or infiltration of a dopant into the element 10 can occur reasonably quickly to produce a uniformly or substantially uniformly doped element without the need to form openings in the element 10. The step of forming one or more openings 12 is thus omitted in this embodiment, and the element 10 is placed, along with the dopant material 16 into the reaction vessel 14, where the pressure and temperature are controlled substantially as hereinbefore described. In this embodiment, the element 10 was held at an elevated temperature for a period in the region of 24 hours.

As with the first embodiment, the technique of the second embodiment resulted in the formation of a substantially uniformly doped multi-layer graphene element containing a relatively small number of graphene layers. The element was of low resistance and of high optical transmittance. Raman spectroscopy techniques and the like were used to confirm that the intercalation process successfully resulted in the proper intercalation of the element.

Whilst in the arrangements described hereinbefore the dopant material is intercalated directly into the element, either of the techniques outlined may be modified such that, initially, a precursor such as aluminium chloride is intercalated into the element. After the initial intercalation, a substitution operation may be performed to substitute the aluminium chloride with iron (III) chloride.

It will be appreciated that a substantially uniformly doped relatively large area multi- layered graphene element produced in accordance with embodiments of the invention may be used in a wide range of electronic devices. The inherent strength of graphene in combination with its optical transmittance, along with the reduced electrical resistance arising from the doping of the element, makes it a good candidate for use in products such as screens or displays, including touch-screens, for electric or electronic devices. However, it will be appreciated that the element may be used in a number of other electrical or electronic devices.

Whilst iron (III) chloride is the dopant described hereinbefore and its use is advantageous, it will be appreciated that depending upon the end use of the doped element, the use of other dopant materials may be preferred. By way of example, gold (III) chloride, cobalt (II) chloride or copper (ii) chloride may be used.

Whilst specific embodiments of the invention have been described hereinbefore, it will be appreciated that a wide range of modifications and alterations may be made to the arrangements described hereinbefore without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.