Optimizing the vacuum growth of epitaxial graphene on 6H-SiC

Hopf, T; Vassilevski, K; Escobedo-Cousin, E; Wright, N; O'Neill, A; Horsfall, A; Goss, J; Barlow, A; Wells, G; Hunt, M

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.778-780.1154

Optimizing the vacuum growth of epitaxial graphene on 6H-SiC

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Toby Hopf, Dr Konstantin Vasilevskiy ORCiD, Dr Enrique Escobedo-Cousin, Professor Anthony O'Neill, Dr Alton Horsfall, Professor Jon Goss, Dr Anders Barlow

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

Multilayer epitaxial graphene has been grown on the Si-face of 6H-SiC on-axis commercial substrates under high vacuum conditions and at growth temperatures up to 1900 degrees C, utilizing the standard sublimation growth technique and a modified SiC rapid thermal annealing system which allows for excellent control of heating and cooling ramp rates. The peak growth temperature and total growth time during the graphene growth step, along with the temperature of the initial substrate etch step, were all systematically varied in order to ascertain their effect on the formation of epitaxial graphene films on the SiC surface. Modifying the substrate etch temperature was found to have a significant impact on the morphology of the SiC substrate, with a uniform step structure only developing across the surface within a narrow temperature band. Furthermore, changing the values of the peak temperature or the growth time during the growth step were both shown to have a large effect on the resultant materials properties of the graphene films.