Graphene Formation on 4H-SiC(0001) Surface Flattened by Catalyst-Assisted Chemical Etching in HF Solution
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Published:2011-10-04
Issue:6
Volume:41
Page:241-248
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ISSN:1938-5862
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Container-title:ECS Transactions
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language:
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Short-container-title:ECS Trans.
Author:
Nishitani Keisuke,Sakane Hiroki,Hattori Azusa N.,Okamoto Takeshi,Kawai Kentaro,Uchikoshi Junichi,Sano Yasuhisa,Yamauchi Kazuto,Morita Mizuho,Arima Kenta
Abstract
The preparation of a silicon-carbide (SiC) surface composed of atomically flat terraces and single bilayer steps is essential for the epitaxial growth of high-quality graphene films. We develop a method to flatten a 4H-SiC(0001) surface on the atomic scale in HF solutions with Pt catalysts. After explaining the principle and the setup of our unique process, we reveal the flattening performance by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy. Then we graphitize the flattened 4H-SiC(0001) surface at 1150°C in ultrahigh vacuum, and investigate the quality of graphene films by AFM and Raman spectroscopy.
Publisher
The Electrochemical Society