Epitaxial graphene on single domain 3C-SiC(100) thin films grown on off-axis Si(100)

The current process of growing graphene by thermal decomposition of 3C-SiC(100) on silicon is technologically attractive. Here, we study epitaxial graphene on single domain 3C-SiC films on off-axis Si(100). The structural and electronic properties of such graphene layers are explored by atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Using low energy electron diffraction, we show that graphene exhibits single planar domains. Near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure is used to characterize the sample, which confirms that the graphene layers present sp(2) hybridization and are homogeneously parallel to the substrate surface. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4734396]