Laser-induced growth of large-area epitaxial graphene with low sheet resistance on 4H-SiC(0001)

Multilayer graphene on SiC is a promising material due to its compatibility with modern electronics technology. Herein, we demonstrate the growth of large-area (similar to 10x5 mm(2)), high-quality (D/G area ratio: similar to 0.03) epitaxial graphene on 4H-SiC(0001) using a high-power continuous laser with an extremely fast heating rate of 500 degrees C/s. As the growth temperature rises from 1550 degrees C to 1780 degrees C, the number of graphene layers increases from three to more than ten. The obtained graphene/SiC samples are highly conductive, with a sheet resistance of as low as similar to 0.43 O/sq. The high power and fast heating rate of the laser contribute to the formation of large-area and low-sheet-resistance graphene. The high conductivity makes graphene/SiC a very promising material for applications in conductive films. The growth mechanism of graphene and the influence of the structural properties of graphene on the conductivity are also discussed.