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High-resolution x-ray analysis of graphene grown on 4H–SiC (000$\bar 1$) at low pressures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2013

Michael A. Capano ,
Benjamin M. Capano ,
Dallas T. Morisette ,
Alberto Salleo ,
Sangwon Lee  and
Michael F. Toney
Michael A. Capano*
Affiliation:
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907; and Group 4 Development, LLC, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906
Benjamin M. Capano*
Affiliation:
Group 4 Development, LLC, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906
Dallas T. Morisette
Affiliation:
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907; and Group 4 Development, LLC, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906
Alberto Salleo
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
Sangwon Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305
Michael F. Toney
Affiliation:
Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: capano@purdue.edu
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Abstract

This article explores the growth of graphene under low-pressure Ar conditions. Carbon- and silicon-face 4H–SiC samples are subjected to epitaxial graphene growth at 1600 °C in vacuum, in 1 mbar argon, or in 10 mbar of argon. High-resolution x-ray scattering is used to characterize all graphene films. On the C-face, specular scans reveal a bimodal distribution of thicknesses that decrease with increasing Ar pressure. Thin and thick regions are approximately 15 and 46 monolayers in C-face graphene grown at high vacuum, 14 and 42 monolayers thick in graphene grown at 1 mbar, and 12 and 32 monolayers thick in graphene grown at 10 mbar. Azimuthal scans confirm in all cases that graphene layers are epitaxial and display expected crystallographic relationships with the underlying SiC substrate. In-plane azimuthal scans show the rotational disorder increases as pressure increases. Peaks in radial scans are asymmetric, suggesting the grain structure has a bimodal distribution of large and small domains. The sample displaying the lowest average Hall mobility (grown at 1 mbar) has the largest population of small crystallites (coherence length on the order of ∼30 nm). Variations in structure and mobility of C-face graphene are attributed to inadequate control of Si sublimation during growth.

Type
Invited Papers
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 29 , Issue 3: Focus Issue: Graphene and Beyond , 14 February 2014 , pp. 439 - 446
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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