Why graphene growth is very different on the C face than on the Si face of SiC: Insights from surface equilibria and the (3$\times$3)-3C-SiC($\bar{\text{1}}\bar{\text{1}}\bar{\text{1}}$) reconstruction

Abstract

We address the stability of the surface phases that occur on the C-side of 3C-SiC($\bar{1}\bar{1}\bar{1}$) at the onset of graphene formation. In this growth range, experimental reports reveal a coexistence of several surface phases. This coexistence can be explained by a Si-rich model for the unknown (3$\times$3) reconstruction, the known (2$\times$2)${}_C$ adatom phase, and the graphene covered (2$\times$2)${}_C$ phase. By constructing an $ab$ $initio$ surface phase diagram using a van der Waals corrected density functional, we show that the formation of a well defined interface structure like the "buffer-layer" on the Si side is blocked by Si-rich surface reconstructions.

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Cited by in corpus (2)

• Effect of residual gas composition on epitaxial graphene growth on SiC
• Formation of Graphene atop a Si adlayer on the C-face of SiC