Intercalated multilayer graphene wires and metal/multilayer graphene hybrid wires obtained by annealing sputtered amorphous carbon

We have fabricated an intercalated multilayer graphene (i-MLG) wire and a cobalt metal/multilayer graphene (Co/MLG) hybrid wire with decreased resistivity relative to a multilayer graphene (MLG) wire by annealing sputtered amorphous carbon. The resistances of the i-MLG and Co/MLG wires decrease by 1 and 2 orders of magnitude relative to that of the MLG wire, respectively. The breakdown tests of the i-MLG and MLG wires indicate that the current tolerance per graphene layer remains almost the same, independent of whether the wires are intercalated. On the other hand, the Co/MLG hybrid wire exhibits not only decreased resistivity but also increased current tolerance. Moreover, with the optimization of the film thickness and annealing temperature, the obtained resistivities of Co/MLG, MLG, and i-MLG are 10, 80, and 6 mu Omega cm, respectively. (C) 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics