The graphene/n-Ge(110) interface: structure, doping, and electronic properties. Issue 13 (16th March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tesch, Julia; Paschke, Fabian; Fonin, Mikhail; Wietstruk, Marko; Böttcher, Stefan; Koch, Roland J.; Bostwick, Aaron; Jozwiak, Chris; Rotenberg, Eli; Makarova, Anna; Paulus, Beate; Voloshina, Elena; Dedkov, Yuriy
• Is Part Of: Nanoscale. Volume 10:Issue 13(2018)
• Page Start: 6088
• Page End: 6098
• Publication Date: 2018-03-16
• Subjects: Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; 620.505
• DOI: 10.1039/c8nr00053k
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2040-3364

Abstract

Abstract : Synthesis temperature and substrate doping are key factors which determine the properties of graphene on semiconducting Ge(110). Abstract : The implementation of graphene in semiconducting technology requires precise knowledge about the graphene–semiconductor interface. In our work the structure and electronic properties of the graphene/n-Ge(110) interface are investigated on the local (nm) and macro (from μm to mm) scales via a combination of different microscopic and spectroscopic surface science techniques accompanied by density functional theory calculations. The electronic structure of freestanding graphene remains almost completely intact in this system, with only a moderate n-doping indicating weak interaction between graphene and the Ge substrate. With regard to the optimisation of graphene growth it is found that the substrate temperature is a crucial factor, which determines the graphene layer alignment on the Ge(110) substrate during its growth from the atomic carbon source. Moreover, our results demonstrate that the preparation route for graphene on the doped semiconducting material (n-Ge) leads to the effective segregation of dopants at the interface between graphene and Ge(110). Furthermore, it is shown that these dopant atoms might form regular structures at the graphene/Ge interface and induce the doping of graphene. Our findings help to understand the interface properties of the graphene–semiconductor interfaces and the effect of dopants on the electronic structure of graphene in such systems.