The doping of quasi-freestanding graphene (QFG) on H-terminated, Si-face 6H-, 4H-, and 3C-SiC is studied by angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy close to the Dirac point. Using semi-insulating as well as n-type doped substrates we shed light on the contributions to the charge carrier density in QFG caused by (i) the spontaneous polarization of the substrate, and (ii) the band alignment between the substrate and the graphene layer. In this way we provide quantitative support for the previously suggested model of polarization doping of graphene on SiC (Ristein et al 2012 Phys. Rev. Lett. 108 246104).
Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR54124, Thessaloniki, Greece..
The 3C-SiC (111) was grown on on-axis 6H-SiC substrates in a temperature interval ranging from 1675oC where 3C-SiC nucleated, to 1825oC where coverage of the substrate by 3C-SiC was nearly 100%. The 6H- to 3C-SiC transformation was not abrupt and two different transitions could be observed. The first one occurs before or during 3C-SiC nucleation and consists of 6H-, 3C-, 15R-SiC and other unresolved stacking sequences. The second one appears due to 6H-SiC and 3C-SiC competition during the growth and results in non flat needle-like interface. A proposed model elucidates connection between four-fold twins nucleating at the 6H-/3C-SiC interface and the formation of depressions at the surface of the 3C-SiC layer.
CNRS and Université Montpellier 2, Laboratoire Charles Coulomb, Montpellier, France.
Nucleation and subsequent growth of cubic SiC (111) on Si- and C-faces of nominally on-axis 6H-SiC substrates was investigated. More uniform nuclei and twin boundary distribution was observed when 3C-SiC was grown on the C-face. This was attributed to a lower critical supersaturation ratio. A new type of defects which appear as pits in the C-face 3C-SiC layers related to homoepitaxial 6H-SiC spiral growth was found and described. The evaluation of the growth driving force for both polar faces showed that the homoepitaxial 6H-SiC spirals were not overgrown on the C-face due to low maximum supersaturation ratio. The XRD ω-rocking characterization shows a better structural quality of the 3C-SiC was grown on the Si-face, however on the C-face the uniformity over the whole sample was higher. Unintentional doping by N (~1016 cm-3) was slightly higher on the C-face while Al doping was higher (~1014 cm-3) on the Si-face of the grown material, similarly to the doping of hexagonal SiC polytypes.
A1. Nucleation, A1. Characterization, A1. Polar surfaces A3. Vapor phase epitaxy, B1. Cubic Silicon Carbide.
Institute of Applied Research, Vilnius University, LT 10222, Vilnius, Lithuania.
From magnetoresistivity effect measurements the carrier mobility at room- temperature is 200 cm2/Vs in heteroepitaxially grown 3C-SiC on 6H-SiC by sublimation epitaxy. The main scattering mechanisms are found to be scattering by neutral impurities at low temperature and by phonons at higher temperature. The carrier concentration is in the range of 1016 cm-3, which corresponds to the concentration of residual doping by nitrogen acquired from photoluminescence measurements. Using magnetoresistance and Hall mobility data we have created a simple model which quantifies the volume of the samples influenced by extended defects. A higher doping near extended defects is either not present in the samples or might be screened by the electrostatic field created by these defects.
Free standing 3C–SiC (111) samples with differently oriented twin boundaries were prepared using on-axis and slightly off-axis 6H–SiC substrates. The orientation of twin boundaries causes either an enhancement or suppression of the magnetoresistance mobility. The origin of carrier mobility difference is attributed to the specific structure of these defects. The height of the barriers created by twin boundaries was found to be 0.2 eV.
The nucleation of cubic (3C) SiC on on-axis 6H-SiC was investigated in the temperature range 1500–1775 °C by the technique of sublimation epitaxy. We have studied two different cases: (i) the initial homoepitaxial growth of 6H-SiC followed by nucleation of 3C-SiC and (ii) nucleation of homoepitaxial 6H-SiC islands. The supersaturation in the growth cell was calculated using the modeled source to substrate temperature difference. We show that, at low temperature and supersaturation, growth of 6H-SiC commences in spiral growth mode, which prepares the surface for 3C-SiC nucleation. Provided the supersaturation is high enough, the 3C-SiC nucleates as two-dimensional islands on terraces of the homoepitaxial 6H-SiC. Detailed structural study indicates that the 3C-SiC began to grow on defect free surfaces. From the experimental and modeling results, we show that the growth parameter window for 3C-SiC is rather narrow. Deviation from it can result in 6H-SiC growth in spiral or 2D-nucleation mode, which suggests the importance of knowledge of supersaturation.