Tunneling Spectroscopy of Graphene and related Reconstructions on SiC(0001)

TL;DR

This study uses tunneling spectroscopy to analyze the electronic surface states of various reconstructions on SiC(0001) and examines how graphene coverage alters their electronic properties, revealing increased conductivity and spectral shifts.

Contribution

It provides detailed spectroscopic characterization of SiC surface reconstructions and demonstrates how graphene coverage modifies their electronic surface states.

Findings

Surface states are localized on adatoms in the 5x5 structure.

Bare 6rt(3)x6rt(3) surfaces show nearly zero conductivity at Fermi level.

Graphene coverage increases Fermi-level conductivity and shifts surface state peaks.

Abstract

The 5x5, 6rt(3)x6rt(3)-R30deg, and graphene-covered 6rt(3)x6rt(3)-R30deg reconstructions of the SiC(0001) surface are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. For the 5x5 structure a rich spectrum of surface states is obtained, with one state in particular found to be localized on top of structural protrusions (adatoms) observed on the surface. Similar spectra are observed on the bare 6rt(3)x6rt(3)-R30deg reconstruction, and in both cases the spectra display nearly zero conductivity at the Fermi-level. When graphene covers the 6rt(3)x6rt(3)-R30deg surface the conductivity at the Fermi-level shows a marked increase, and additionally the various surface state peaks seen in the spectrum shift in energy and fall in intensity. The influence of the overlying graphene on the electronic properties of the interface is discussed, as are possible models for the interface structure.