Scanning Tunneling Microscopy investigation of the graphene/6H-SiC(000N1) (3x3) interface

Fanny Hiebel (1) , François Varchon , Laurence Magaud (1) , Jean-Yves Veuillen (2) , P. Mallet (2)

1 NEEL - Quan2m - Interactions modulables dans des états quantiques 2D
2 NEEL - QuNES - Nano-Electronique Quantique et Spectroscopie

The early stages of the graphitization of the 6H-SiC(000N1) (3 3) surface in an Ultra-High Vacuum (UHV) are investigated by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Different kinds of graphitic islands are found on the surface. One kind (called G_3 3) consists of a single graphene-like carbon plane covering the initial (3 3) reconstructed substrate surface. We observe a broad distribution of rotation angles between the substrate and the carbon plane revealed by superstructures of different directions and periods. Low bias images show that the graphene structure is preserved close to the Fermi level. The data indicate a weak substrate-graphene coupling for the G_3 3 islands.

Mots clés: scanning tunneling microscopy; crystal growth; surfaces and interfaces

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Fanny Hiebel, François Varchon, Laurence Magaud, Jean-Yves Veuillen, P. Mallet. Scanning Tunneling Microscopy investigation of the graphene/6H-SiC(000N1) (3x3) interface. Solid State Communications, 2009, 149 (27-28), pp.1157-1160. ⟨10.1016/j.ssc.2009.02.047⟩. ⟨hal-00993146⟩