Unusual optical properties of graphene on an Rh surface

Single- and multilayer graphene films formed on the surface of a number of metals (Rh, Pt, Ir, and Re) at the thermal decomposition of benzene molecules have been studied. A surprising phenomenon has been revealed: these films with thicknesses up to 15 layers do not absorb light emitted by the surface and affect neither brightness nor true temperatures of the surface, which contradicts the fundamental results obtained by A. Geim and K. Novoselov. At larger thicknesses, absorption occurs in agreement with the commonly accepted concepts.