Large area quasi-free standing monolayer graphene on 3C-SiC(111)

TL;DR

This paper reports the successful large-area synthesis of quasi-free standing monolayer graphene on 3C-SiC(111), demonstrating its potential as a cost-effective platform for graphene applications.

Contribution

It introduces a method to produce homogeneous monolayer graphene on cubic silicon carbide via hydrogen intercalation, with detailed characterization confirming decoupling from the substrate.

Findings

Sharp linear pi-bands observed in ARPES

Homogeneous monolayer domains over hundreds of square micrometers

Decoupling of graphene confirmed by XPS and LEED

Abstract

Large scale, homogeneous quasi-free standing monolayer graphene is obtained on cubic silicon carbide, i.e. the 3C-SiC(111) surface, which represents an appealing and cost effective platform for graphene growth. The quasi-free monolayer is produced by intercalation of hydrogen under the interfacial, (6root3x6root3)R30-reconstructed carbon layer. After intercalation, angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) reveals sharp linear pi-bands. The decoupling of graphene from the substrate is identified by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) demonstrate that homogeneous monolayer domains extend over areas of hundreds of square-micrometers.