Role of carbon surface diffusion on the growth of epitaxial graphene on SiC

Abstract

We have observed the formation of graphene on SiC by Si sublimation in an Ar atmosphere using low-energy electron microscopy, scanning tunneling microcopy, and atomic force microscopy. This work reveals unanticipated growth mechanisms, which depend strongly on the initial surface morphology. Carbon diffusion governs the spatial relationship between SiC decomposition and graphene growth. Isolated bilayer SiC steps generate narrow ribbons of graphene by a distinctive cooperative process, whereas triple bilayer steps allow large graphene sheets to grow by step flow. We demonstrate how graphene quality can be improved by controlling the initial surface morphology to avoid the instabilities inherent in diffusion-limited growth.