Papers by Author: Jolanta Borysiuk

Abstract: Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) investigations of graphene layers synthesized on Si and C-terminated on-axis oriented 4H-SiC are presented. The high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) revealed distinctive distance differences between the first carbon graphene layer and SiC surface for both polarities. The prolonged annealing of SiC with carbon face shows, that in addition to the increase of number of graphene layers, there is also observed splitting between stack of graphene layers and the surface of SiC substrate. In addition, the density of so called “puckers” increases.

Abstract: The paper provides a deeper understanding of key-parameters of epitaxial graphene growth techniques on SiC. At 16000C, the graphene layer is continuous and covers a large area of the substrate. Significant differences in the growth rate could be observed for different reactor pressures and the polarity of SiC substrates as well as for the substrate miscut and surface quality. In addition, graphene thickness uniformity and mechanism of ridges creation was examined.

Abstract: Optical transmission and transmission electron microscopy studies of epitaxial graphene structures grown on the carbon terminated face of 4H-SiC(000-1) on-axis substrates are presented. Several samples obtained using different growth conditions were studied. Optical microscope showed regions of micrometer size with different layer number. The exact number of layers was obtained from transmission electron microscope studies. Optical transmission spectra showed no wavelength dependence and allowed us to obtain the average number of graphene layers.

Abstract: Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) investigations of graphene layers on Si terminated 4H-SiC(0001) are presented. The graphene layers have been grown in a standard method using decomposition of silicon carbide. Two kind of graphene layers have been investigated: 1) grown on substrates with on-axis orientation, 2) grown on substrates with 4° and 8° off-axis orientation in respect of c-axis of SiC. In the case of 0° orientation the high resolution TEM micrographs revealed that a thin layer graphene is present: 1-3 monolayers were obtained. It was found that the first carbon layer was about 2Å from the SiC surface. This result indicates that a strong covalent bonds between carbon layer and silicon atoms on the SiC surface exist. The subsequent graphene layers have been found spaced by 3.4 Å - similar as in the graphite. That indicates a weak van der Waals bonding between subsequent carbon layers. In the case of 4° and 8° off-axis orientation a thicker layer of about 5-6 monolayers of graphene were obtained. Relative spacings of graphene layers were the same as in the case of on-axis orientation.

Abstract: The so-called “growth” of graphene was performed using a horizontal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) hot-wall reactor. In-situ etching in the mixture (H2-C3H8) was performed prior to growth at 1600oC temperature under 100 mbar. Systematic studies of the influence of the decomposition temperature and time, substrates roughness, etching of the substrates, heating rate, SiC dezorientation and other process parameters on the graphene thickness and quality have been conducted. Morphology and atomic scale structure of graphene was examined by Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Raman scattering methods.

Abstract: Nano-composites consisting of a primary matrix phase of hard nanocrystalline SiC and a secondary nanocrystalline GaAs semiconductor phase were obtained by high-pressure zone infiltration. The synthesis occurs in three stages: (i) at room- temperature the SiC nanopowder is compacted under high pressure to 8 GPa, (ii) the temperature is increased to 1240°C, above the melting point of GaAs, and the pores were filled with liquid, (iii) on cooling GaAs nanocrystallites grow in the pores. The synthesis was performed using a toroid-type high-pressure apparatus (IHPP PAS, Warsaw) and a six anvil cubic press (MAX80 at HASYLAB, Hamburg). X-ray diffraction studies were performed with a laboratory D5000 Siemens diffractometer. The phase compositionn, grain size and macrostrains in the synthesized materials were examined. The microstructure of the composites was characterized using a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Far-infrared reflectivity and Raman spectroscopy measurements were used to trace built-in strains.