Electronic structures of an epitaxial graphene monolayer on SiC(0001) after gold intercalation: a first-principles study

The atomic and electronic structures of an Au-intercalated graphene monolayer on the SiC(0001) surface were investigated using first-principles calculations. The unique Dirac cone of graphene near the K point reappeared as the monolayer was intercalated by Au atoms. Coherent interfaces were used to study the mismatch and the strain at the boundaries. Our calculations showed that the strain at the graphene/Au and Au/SiC(0001) interfaces also played a key role in the electronic structures. Furthermore, we found that at an Au coverage of 3/8 ML, Au intercalation leads to a strong n-type doping of graphene. At 9/8 ML, it exhibited a weak p-type doping, indicative that graphene was not fully decoupled from the substrate. The shift in the Dirac point resulting from the electronic doping was not only due to the different electronegativities but also due to the strain at the interfaces. Our calculated positions of the Dirac points are consistent with those observed in the ARPES experiment (Gierz et al 2010 Phys. Rev. B 81 235408).