title: Direct growth of graphene on SiC(0001) by KrF-excimer-laser irradiation.
abstract: In this report, we propose a direct patterning method of graphene on the SiC(0001) surface by KrF-excimer-laser irradiation. In this method, Si atoms are locally sublimated from the SiC surface in the laser-irradiated area, and direct graphene growth is induced by the rearrangement of surplus carbon on the SiC surface. Using Raman microscopy, we demonstrated the formation of graphene by laser irradiation and observed the growth process by transmission electron microscopy and conductive atomic force microscopy. When SiC was irradiated by 5000 shots of the laser beam with a fluence of 1.2 J/cm2, two layers of graphene were synthesized on the SiC(0001) surface. The number of graphene layers increased from 2 to 5-7 with an increase in the number of laser shots. Based on the results of conductive-atomic force microscopy measurements, we conclude that graphene formation was initiated from the step area, after which the graphene grew towards the terrace area by further Si evaporation and C recombination with increasing laser irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Kyushu University , 744 Motooka, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Kyushu University , 744 Motooka, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikenoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Kyushu University , 744 Motooka, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: NTT Basic Research Labs. , 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.affiliation: NTT Basic Research Labs. , 3-1 Morinosato Wakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0198, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takamura
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hibino
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Electrical Engineering, Kyushu University , 744 Motooka, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada