Quasi-free Standing Epitaxial Graphene on SiC by Hydrogen Intercalation

Quasi-free Standing Epitaxial Graphene on SiC by Hydrogen Intercalation

Dated: November 10, 2009 | C. Riedl, C. Coletti, T. Iwasaki, A. A. Zakharov, U. Starke
The paper discusses the preparation of quasi-free-standing epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001) by hydrogen intercalation. The process involves the movement of hydrogen between the (6√3×6√3)R30° reconstructed initial carbon layer and the SiC substrate, leading to the decoupling of the graphene from the substrate. This results in the formation of a quasi-free-standing graphene monolayer with its typical linear π-bands. The intercalation is stable in air and can be reversed by annealing to around 900 °C. The study uses techniques such as ARPES, LEED, LEEM, and CLPES to analyze the structural, electronic, and morphological properties of the samples. The results show that hydrogen treatment suppresses the superstructure spots in LEED patterns, indicating reduced interlayer bonding, and transforms the electronic structure of the samples, with the appearance of π-bands and a shift in the Fermi level. The hydrogen desorption occurs at temperatures above 700 °C, and the samples return to their original state. The study also confirms the presence of Si-H bonds through CLPES and LEEM, providing evidence for the successful decoupling of the graphene layers.The paper discusses the preparation of quasi-free-standing epitaxial graphene on SiC(0001) by hydrogen intercalation. The process involves the movement of hydrogen between the (6√3×6√3)R30° reconstructed initial carbon layer and the SiC substrate, leading to the decoupling of the graphene from the substrate. This results in the formation of a quasi-free-standing graphene monolayer with its typical linear π-bands. The intercalation is stable in air and can be reversed by annealing to around 900 °C. The study uses techniques such as ARPES, LEED, LEEM, and CLPES to analyze the structural, electronic, and morphological properties of the samples. The results show that hydrogen treatment suppresses the superstructure spots in LEED patterns, indicating reduced interlayer bonding, and transforms the electronic structure of the samples, with the appearance of π-bands and a shift in the Fermi level. The hydrogen desorption occurs at temperatures above 700 °C, and the samples return to their original state. The study also confirms the presence of Si-H bonds through CLPES and LEEM, providing evidence for the successful decoupling of the graphene layers.
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[slides and audio] Quasi-free-standing epitaxial graphene on SiC obtained by hydrogen intercalation.