Atomic structure of the 6H–SiC(0 0 0 1) nanomesh

• Published in: Surface science Vol. 596; no. 1; pp. 176 - 186
• Main Authors: Chen, Wei, Xu, Hai, Liu, Lei, Gao, Xingyu, Qi, Dongchen, Peng, Guowen, Tan, Swee Ching, Feng, Yuanping, Loh, Kian Ping, Wee, Andrew Thye Shen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 10.12.2005; Amsterdam Elsevier Science; New York, NY
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Nanomesh; Physics; Self-organization; STM; STM; Nanomesh; Self-organization; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Self organization; Inorganic compounds; Silicon carbides; Atomic structure
• ISSN: 0039-6028; 1879-2758
• DOI: 10.1016/j.susc.2005.09.013

The atomic structure of the carbon nanomesh template (the so-called 6 3 × 6 3 R 30 ° reconstruction) on the 6H–SiC(0 0 0 1) surface was investigated in detail by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), synchrotron photoemission spectroscopy (PES) and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. We propose that the origin of the carbon nanomesh template arises from the self-organization of excess carbon atoms forming a novel honeycomb arrangement atop the 6H–SiC(0 0 0 1) surface after annealing at 1100 °C. Two carbon nanomesh-related C 1s components are observed at binding energies of 285.1 eV ( S 1) and 283.8 eV ( S 2) by angle-resolved synchrotron PES experiments. We assign the S 2 component to carbon atoms that bond to one underlying Si atom, and the S 1 component to carbon atoms bonded to other carbon atoms without Si–C bond formation. Further annealing results in the formation of crystalline graphitic layers on top of the surface.