This paper presents an investigation of the morphological and structural properties of graphene (Gr) grown on SiC(000-1) by thermal treatments at high temperatures (from 1850 to 1950 ºC) in Ar at atmospheric pressure. Atomic force microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy showed that the grown Gr films are laterally inhomogeneous in the number of layers, and that regions with different stacking-type (coupled or decoupled Gr films) can coexist in the same sample. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy showed that a nm-thick C-Si-O amorphous layer is present at the interface between Gr and SiC. Basing on these structural results, the mechanisms of Gr growth on the C-face of SiC under these annealing conditions and the role of this disordered layer in the suppression of epitaxy between Gr and the substrate have been discussed.
Interfacial disorder of graphene grown at high temperatures on 4H-SiC(000-1)
F Giannazzo;G Nicotra;I Deretzis;C Spinella;A La Magna;F Roccaforte;
2016
Abstract
This paper presents an investigation of the morphological and structural properties of graphene (Gr) grown on SiC(000-1) by thermal treatments at high temperatures (from 1850 to 1950 ºC) in Ar at atmospheric pressure. Atomic force microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy showed that the grown Gr films are laterally inhomogeneous in the number of layers, and that regions with different stacking-type (coupled or decoupled Gr films) can coexist in the same sample. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy showed that a nm-thick C-Si-O amorphous layer is present at the interface between Gr and SiC. Basing on these structural results, the mechanisms of Gr growth on the C-face of SiC under these annealing conditions and the role of this disordered layer in the suppression of epitaxy between Gr and the substrate have been discussed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.