Transfer of Chemical Vapor Deposition-Grown Monolayer Graphene by Alkane Hydrocarbon

The transfer of monolayer graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition on Cu foils is essential in developing graphene-based devices. However, the traditional polymer-assisted transfer method does not preserve the intrinsic properties of graphene, as polymeric residue creates interference. Here, we report the use of an alkane hydrocarbon as a supporting material for the development of a cleaner graphene transferring method. Compared to the use of poly(methyl methacrylate), the use of octadecane generated much less residue on the graphene's surface, as confirmed by lateral force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, back gated graphene transistors fabricated using the octadecane-assisted transfer showed less p-type doping with higher carrier mobility in air than those with a polymer-based method. The alkane hydrocarbon-based transfer method presents an alternative device fabrication route, which provides a cleaner graphene surface.