Epitaxial Graphene Growth on the Step-Structured Surface of Off-Axis C-Face 3C-SiC(1¯1¯1¯)

• Graphene layers grown on the C-face SiC exhibit quite different structural and electronic properties compared with those grown on the Si-face SiC. Herein, the growth and structural properties of graphene on the off-axis C-face 3C-SiC((Formula presented.)) are studied. The as-grown 4° off-axis 3C-SiC((Formula presented.)) exhibits highly periodic steps with step height of ≈0.75 nm and terrace width of ≈50 nm. After annealing at 1800 °C under 850 mbar argon atmosphere, relatively uniform large graphene domains can be grown. The low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) results demonstrate that one monolayer (ML) to four-ML graphene domains are grown over several micrometers square, which enables us to measure micro low-energy electron diffraction (μ-LEED) on the single graphene domain. The μ-LEED pattern collected on the monolayer domain mainly exhibits four sets of graphene (1 × 1) spots, indicating the presence of graphene grains with different azimuthal orientations in the same graphene sheet. Raman spectra collected on the graphene domains show rather small D peaks, indicating the presence of less defects and higher crystalline quality of the graphene layers grown on the C-face off-axis 3C-SiC((Formula presented.)).

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Materialkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Materials Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

azimuthal orientations

C-face 3C-SiC

epitaxial graphene

off-axis substrates

azimuthal orientations; C-face 3C-SiC; epitaxial graphene; off-axis substrates

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)