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Fabrication of Gate-tunable Graphene Devices for Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Studies with Coulomb Impurities
Published on: July 24, 2015
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Microscopically-tuned band structure of epitaxial graphene through interface and stacking variations using Si
Hirokazu Fukidome1, Takayuki Ide2, Yusuke Kawai3
11] Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aobaku-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577, Japan [2] Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 5-7, Goban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0076, Japan.
Scientific Reports
|June 7, 2014
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to control graphene
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Graphene's unique electronic properties stem from its linear band structure near the Dirac point.
- The electronic band structure of graphene multilayers is critically dependent on the stacking sequence.
- Controlling this stacking sequence is key to tailoring graphene's electronic behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel method for microscopically controlling graphene's band structure.
- To explore the potential of 3D microfabricated substrates for advanced graphene applications.
- To demonstrate selective tuning of electronic properties in graphene-based devices.
Main Methods:
- Epitaxy of graphene on 3C-SiC(111) and 3C-SiC(100) thin films.
- Growth of these films on a 3D microfabricated Si(100) substrate (3D-GOS) using anisotropic etching.
- Microscopic control of the graphene-3C-SiC interface to influence stacking and band structure.
Main Results:
- Successful fabrication of 3D-GOS with Si(111) microfacets and Si(100) microterraces.
- Demonstration of microscopic control over graphene stacking by tuning the interface.
- Observation of selective semiconducting behavior on Si(111) portions and metallic behavior on Si(100) portions.
Conclusions:
- The 3D-GOS platform enables precise, microscopic control over graphene's band structure.
- This control allows for the selective emergence of semiconducting and metallic properties within the same graphene sheet.
- 3D-GOS effectively unlocks diverse potentials of graphene for tailored electronic and photonic devices.
