Abstract: A method of forming a graphene film (20) on one or more surfaces (10) of a copper-containing substrate (12) comprising the steps of: (i) heating a copper-containing substrate (12) defining one or more surfaces (10) to an exposure temperature; (ii) exposing the substrate (12) to a carbon-containing precursor gas at the exposure temperature for a predetermined period of time to dissolve carbon atoms into the substrate (12) and saturate the substrate (12) with carbon atoms; and (iii) cooling the substrate (12) so as to segregate the dissolved carbon atoms (16) from the substrate (12) to form a graphene film (20) on the or each surface (10) of the substrate (12); wherein the method further includes the step of selecting the copper-containing substrate (12) on the basis of its thickness to control the depth of the graphene film (20) formed on the or each surface (10) of the substrate (12) on cooling the substrate (12) so as to segregate the dissolved carbon atoms from the substrate (12).

Abstract: A method of forming a graphene film on a surface (20) of a substrate comprises the steps of: (i) locating a carbon source (22) at, or in a vicinity of the surface (20) of the substrate; (ii) controlling ambient conditions at the surface (20) of the substrate to inhibit graphene nucleation on the surface (20); (iii) applying a temporary change of one or more of the ambient conditions at a localised site (30) on the surface (20) of the substrate to initiate graphene nucleation at the localised site (30); (iv) controlling the ambient conditions at the surface (20) of the substrate, following initiation of graphene nucleation at the localised site, to simultaneously inhibit graphene nucleation and enable graphene growth on the surface (20).