Fabrication of a single layer graphene by copper intercalation on a SiC(0001) surface

Abstract

Cu atoms deposited on a zero layer graphene grown on a SiC(0001) substrate, intercalate between the zero layer graphene and the SiC substrate after the thermal annealing above 600 °C, forming a Cu-intercalated single layer graphene. On the Cu-intercalated single layer graphene, a graphene lattice with superstructure due to moiré pattern is observed by scanning tunneling microscopy, and specific linear dispersion at the K¯ point as well as a characteristic peak in a C1s core level spectrum, which is originated from a free-standing graphene, is confirmed by photoemission spectroscopy. The Cu-intercalated single layer graphene is found to be n-doped.