Nucleation and Growth of Epitaxial Graphene on Silicon Carbide

技术上的。该项目涉及石墨烯的合成/加工；将进行一系列研究，涉及生长参数的变化和薄膜特性的详细表征，以确定和了解生长机制。最初，反应气体将被引入作为退火期的背景环境。在退火过程中，氢可能会进行一些刻蚀(可能是缺陷)，而氧可能会起到吸除杂质和/或帮助从表面去除硅的作用。此外，还将使用丙烯等含碳气体来评估它们在碳化硅上沉积石墨烯的潜力。得到的薄膜将通过原子力显微镜、低能电子衍射和俄歇电子能谱进行表征，光学和电学表征将由Sarnoff Corp.、Argonne National Lab、麻省理工学院林肯实验室和巴黎圣母大学的合作研究人员进行。对石墨烯/碳化硅界面的详细结构将用扫描隧道显微镜和扫描隧道光谱进行补充研究。俄亥俄大学的合作者将使用第一原理理论对这些结果进行建模。非技术性。该项目涉及具有技术相关性的电子/光子材料科学专题领域的基础研究问题。拟议研究的社会效益可能非常大，因为石墨烯是一种强有力的候选材料，可以将电子能力扩展到硅技术的限制之外。该项目还将为纳米技术领域的研究生提供跨学科培训。此外，该协会每年为初中生和高中生举办纳米技术讲座，并教授纳米科学和纳米技术课程。这项提案中与石墨烯相关的研究将用于增强这些讲座的内容，为学生提供当前纳米技术研究课题的一个范例。该课程包括一个实验室部分，并计划开发一个处理石墨烯剥离和观察的实验室练习。

Technical. This project addresses synthesis/processing of graphene; a range of studies involving variation in growth parameters and detailed characterization of film properties will be conducted to identify and understand growth mechanisms. Initially, reactive gases will be introduced as a background environment during annealing. Hydrogen is expected to perform some etching (perhaps of defects) during the annealing, whereas oxygen may act to getter impurities and/or assist in the removal of silicon from the surface. Additionally, carbon-containing gases such as propylene will be used to assess their potential for deposition of graphene on SiC. The resulting films will be characterized by atomic force microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and Auger electron spectroscopy, with optical and electrical characterization to be performed by collaborating researchers at Sarnoff Corp., Argonne National Lab, MIT Lincoln Labs, and Notre Dame University. Complementary studies on the detailed structure of the graphene/SiC interface will be performed by scanning tunneling microscopy and scanning tunneling spectroscopy. Modeling of those results using first-principles theory will be performed by collaborators at Ohio University. Non-Technical. The project addresses fundamental research issues in a topical area of electronic/photonic materials science having technological relevance. Societal benefits of the proposed research are potentially very large since graphene is a strong candidate material for extending electronics capabilities beyond the limits of silicon technology. The project will also provide interdisciplinary training to graduate students in the nanotechnology field. Additionally, the PI presents annual lectures to middle and high school students on Nanotechnology, as well as teaching a course on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. The graphene-related research of this proposal will be used to enhance the content of these lectures, providing students with an example of a current research topic in Nanotechnology. The course includes a laboratory component, and development of a laboratory exercise dealing with graphene exfoliation and observation is planned.