  Films of (111)-textured Cu, Ni, and Cu$_x$Ni$_y$ were evaluated as substrates
for chemical vapor deposition of graphene. A metal thickness of 400 nm to 700
nm was sputtered onto a substrate of $\alpha-$Al$_2$O$_3$(0001) at temperatures
of 250 C to 650 C. The films were then annealed at 1000 C in a tube furnace.
X-ray and electron backscatter diffraction measurements showed all films have
(111) texture but have grains with in-plane orientations differing by
$60^{\circ}$. The in-plane epitaxial relationship for all films was
$[110]_{metal}$||$[10\bar{1}0]_{{Al}_{2}{O}_{3}}$. Reactive sputtering of Al in
O$_2$ before metal deposition resulted in a single in-plane orientation over 97
% of the Ni film but had no significant effect on the Cu grain structure.
Transmission electron microscopy showed a clean Ni/Al$_2$O$_3$ interface,
confirmed the epitaxial relationship, and showed that formation of the
$60^{\circ}$ twin grains was associated with features on the Al$_2$O$_3$
surface. Increasing total pressure and Cu vapor pressure during annealing
decreased the roughness of Cu and and Cu$_x$Ni$_y$ films. Graphene grown on the
Ni(111) films was more uniform than that grown on polycrystalline Ni/SiO$_2$
films, but still showed thickness variations on a much smaller length scale
than the distance between grains.
