▎ 摘　　要

Graphene is a monolayer of sp(2) bonded carbon atoms in a chicken wire crystal structure which behaves electronically as a zero-gap semiconductor. It forms many allotropes, some being known from ancient times (diamond and graphite) and some discovered ten to twenty years ago (fullerenes, nanotubes). Quite interestingly, the two-dimensional form has been obtained only recently, and immediately has sparkled a considerable scientific interest. Electrons in graphene, obeying to a linear dispersion relationship, behave like massless relativistic particles, which results in a number of very peculiar electronic properties. Graphene also provides a bridge between condensed matter physics and quantum electrodynamics and opens new perspectives for carbon-based electronics. Here we present an overview of the amazing properties of graphene and of the methods for producing it. We conclude with a brief description of the potential applications of this material.