Carbon rehybridization at the graphene/SiC(0001) interface: Effect on stability and atomic-scale corrugation

TL;DR

This study investigates the stability and atomic-scale corrugation of the graphene/SiC(0001) interface, revealing that local rehybridization of graphene atoms enhances stability and induces increased corrugation.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the stability of the graphene/SiC interface is driven by sp2-to-sp3 rehybridization, explaining the prevalence of a specific interface structure observed experimentally.

Findings

The 6√3×6√3 R30° structure has the lowest interface energy.

Rehybridization enhances local reactivity and stability.

More stable structures show increased atomic-scale corrugation.

Abstract

We address the energetic stability of the graphene/SiC(0001) interface and the associated binding mechanism by studying a series of low-strain commensurate interface structures within a density functional scheme. Among the structures with negligible strain, the 6\surd3\times6\surd3 R30{\deg} SiC periodicity shows the lowest interface energy, providing a rationale for its frequent experimental observation. The interface stability is driven by the enhanced local reactivity of the substrate-bonded graphene atoms undergoing sp2-to-sp3 rehybridization (pyramidalization). By this mechanism, relaxed structures of higher stability exhibit more pronounced graphene corrugations at the atomic scale.