Structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene on 6H -SiC(0001) at atomic resolution

Xiaojun Weng; Joshua A. Robinson; Kathleen Trumbull; Randall Cavalero; Mark A. Fanton; David Snyder

doi:10.1063/1.3517505

Structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene on 6H -SiC(0001) at atomic resolution

Xiaojun Weng, Joshua A. Robinson, Kathleen Trumbull, Randall Cavalero, Mark A. Fanton, David Snyder

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Abstract

Using directly interpretable atomic-resolution cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy, we have investigated the structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene (EG) on 6H -SiC(0001). We show that the buried interface layer possesses a lower average areal density of carbon atoms than graphene, indicating that it is not a graphenelike sheet with the 63×63R30° structure. The EG interlayer spacings are found to be considerably larger than that of the bulk graphite and the surface of the SiC(0001) substrate, often treated as relaxed, is found to be strained. Discontinuity of the graphene layers above the SiC surface steps is observed, in contradiction with the commonly believed continuous coverage.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	201905
Journal	Applied Physics Letters
Volume	97
Issue number	20
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3517505
State	Published - Nov 15 2010

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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10.1063/1.3517505

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title = "Structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene on 6H -SiC(0001) at atomic resolution",

abstract = "Using directly interpretable atomic-resolution cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy, we have investigated the structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene (EG) on 6H -SiC(0001). We show that the buried interface layer possesses a lower average areal density of carbon atoms than graphene, indicating that it is not a graphenelike sheet with the 63×63R30° structure. The EG interlayer spacings are found to be considerably larger than that of the bulk graphite and the surface of the SiC(0001) substrate, often treated as relaxed, is found to be strained. Discontinuity of the graphene layers above the SiC surface steps is observed, in contradiction with the commonly believed continuous coverage.",

author = "Xiaojun Weng and Robinson, {Joshua A.} and Kathleen Trumbull and Randall Cavalero and Fanton, {Mark A.} and David Snyder",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, Contract No. N00164-09-C-GR34. The STEM work was performed in the Materials Characterization Laboratory (MCL) at the Pennsylvania State University. X.W. would like to thank Dr. Xin Li for helpful discussion on STEM imaging. Copyright: Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

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doi = "10.1063/1.3517505",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene on 6H -SiC(0001) at atomic resolution

AU - Weng, Xiaojun

AU - Robinson, Joshua A.

AU - Trumbull, Kathleen

AU - Cavalero, Randall

AU - Fanton, Mark A.

AU - Snyder, David

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane, Contract No. N00164-09-C-GR34. The STEM work was performed in the Materials Characterization Laboratory (MCL) at the Pennsylvania State University. X.W. would like to thank Dr. Xin Li for helpful discussion on STEM imaging. Copyright: Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2010/11/15

Y1 - 2010/11/15

N2 - Using directly interpretable atomic-resolution cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy, we have investigated the structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene (EG) on 6H -SiC(0001). We show that the buried interface layer possesses a lower average areal density of carbon atoms than graphene, indicating that it is not a graphenelike sheet with the 63×63R30° structure. The EG interlayer spacings are found to be considerably larger than that of the bulk graphite and the surface of the SiC(0001) substrate, often treated as relaxed, is found to be strained. Discontinuity of the graphene layers above the SiC surface steps is observed, in contradiction with the commonly believed continuous coverage.

AB - Using directly interpretable atomic-resolution cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy, we have investigated the structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene (EG) on 6H -SiC(0001). We show that the buried interface layer possesses a lower average areal density of carbon atoms than graphene, indicating that it is not a graphenelike sheet with the 63×63R30° structure. The EG interlayer spacings are found to be considerably larger than that of the bulk graphite and the surface of the SiC(0001) substrate, often treated as relaxed, is found to be strained. Discontinuity of the graphene layers above the SiC surface steps is observed, in contradiction with the commonly believed continuous coverage.

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Structure of few-layer epitaxial graphene on 6H -SiC(0001) at atomic resolution

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