Time evolution of graphene growth on SiC as a function of annealing temperature. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zarotti, F.; Gupta, B.; Iacopi, F.; Sgarlata, A.; Tomellini, M.; Motta, N.
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 98(2016)
• Page Start: 307
• Page End: 312
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2015.11.026
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: We followed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) the time evolution of graphene layers obtained by annealing 3C SiC(111)/Si(111) crystals at different temperatures. The intensity of the carbon signal provides a quantification of the graphene thickness as a function of the annealing time, which follows a power law with exponent 0.5. We show that a kinetic model, based on a bottom-up growth mechanism, provides a full explanation to the evolution of the graphene thickness as a function of time, allowing to calculate the effective activation energy of the process and the energy barriers, in excellent agreement with previous theoretical results. Our study provides a complete and exhaustive picture of Si diffusion into the SiC matrix, establishing the conditions for a perfect control of the graphene growth by Si sublimation.