Metal-dielectric transition in Sn-intercalated graphene on SiC(0001)

Y R Niu; A A Zakharov; R Yakimova

doi:10.1016/j.ultramic.2017.05.010

Metal-dielectric transition in Sn-intercalated graphene on SiC(0001)

Ultramicroscopy. 2017 Dec:183:49-54. doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2017.05.010. Epub 2017 May 10.

Authors

Y R Niu¹, A A Zakharov², R Yakimova³

Affiliations

¹ School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom; MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: niutony@gmail.com.
² MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
³ Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (IFM), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.

PMID: 28527595
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2017.05.010

Abstract

The Sn intercalation into a buffer layer graphene grown on 4H-SiC(0001) substrate has been studied with spectroscopic photoemission and low energy electron microscope. Both SnSi_x and SnO_x interfacial layers are found to form below the buffer layer, converting it into a quasi-free-standing monolayer graphene. Combining the various operation modes of the microscope allows a detailed insight into the formation processes of the interlayers and their thermal stability. In particular, at the interface we observed a reversible transition from silicide to oxide after exposure to ambient pressure and subsequent annealing. This metal-dielectric transition might be useful for interface engineering in graphene-based devices.