Nicolas Camara

Optical nano-imaging of gate-tunable graphene plasmons

The ability to manipulate optical fields and the energy flow of light is central to modern information and communication technologies, as well as quantum information processing schemes. However, because photons do not possess charge, a way of controlling them efficiently by electrical means has so far proved elusive. A promising way to achieve electric control of light could be through plasmon polaritons—coupled excitations of photons and charge carriers—in graphene. In this two-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms, it is expected that plasmon polaritons and their associated optical fields can readily be tuned electrically by varying the graphene carrier density. Although evidence of optical graphene plasmon resonances has recently been obtained spectroscopically, no experiments so far have directly resolved propagating plasmons in real space. Here we launch and detect propagating optical plasmons in tapered graphene nanostructures using near-field scattering microscopy with infrared excitation light. We provide real-space images of plasmon fields, and find that the extracted plasmon wavelength is very short—more than 40 times smaller than the wavelength of illumination. We exploit this strong optical field confinement to turn a graphene nanostructure into a tunable resonant plasmonic cavity with extremely small mode volume. The cavity resonance is controlled in situ by gating the graphene, and in particular, complete switching on and off of the plasmon modes is demonstrated, thus paving the way towards graphene-based optical transistors. This successful alliance between nanoelectronics and nano-optics enables the development of active subwavelength-scale optics and a plethora of nano-optoelectronic devices and functionalities, such as tunable metamaterials, nanoscale optical processing, and strongly enhanced light–matter interactions for quantum devices and biosensing applications.

Anisotropic growth of long isolated graphene ribbons on the C face of graphite-capped 6H-SiC

We present an investigation of large, isolated, graphene ribbons grown on the C-face of on-axis semi-insulating 6H-SiC wafers. Using a graphite cap to cover the SiC sample, we modify the desorption of the Si species during the Si sublimation process. This results in a better control of the growth kinetics, yielding very long (about 300 microns long, 5 microns wide), homogeneous monolayer graphene ribbons. These ribbons fully occupy unusually large terraces on the step bunched SiC surface, as shown by AFM, optical microscopy and SEM. Raman spectrometry indicates that the thermal stress has been partially relaxed by wrinkles formation, visible in AFM images. In addition, we show that despite the low optical absorption of graphene, optical differential transmission can be successfully used to prove the monolayer character of the ribbons.

Early stage formation of graphene on the C face of 6H-SiC

An investigation of the early stage formation of graphene on the C face of 6H-silicon carbide (SiC) is presented. We show that the sublimation of few atomic layers of Si out of the SiC substrate is not homogeneous. In good agreement with the results of theoretical calculations it starts from defective sites, mainly dislocations that define nearly circular graphene layers, which have a pyramidal, volcanolike shape with a center chimney where the original defect was located. At higher temperatures, complete conversion occurs but, again, it is not homogeneous. Within the sample surface, the intensity of the Raman bands evidences inhomogeneous thickness.An investigation of the early stage formation of graphene on the C face of 6H-silicon carbide (SiC) is presented. We show that the sublimation of few atomic layers of Si out of the SiC substrate is not homogeneous. In good agreement with the results of theoretical calculations it starts from defective sites, mainly dislocations that define nearly circular graphene layers, which have a pyramidal, volcanolike shape with a center chimney where the original defect was located. At higher temperatures, complete conversion occurs but, again, it is not homogeneous. Within the sample surface, the intensity of the Raman bands evidences inhomogeneous thickness.

Current status of self-organized epitaxial graphene ribbons on the C face of 6H–SiC substrates

The current status of long, self-organized, epitaxial graphene ribbons grown on the (0 0 0 −1) face of 6H–SiC substrates is reviewed. First, starting from the early stage of growth it is shown that on the C face of 6H–SiC substrates the sublimation process is not homogeneous. Most of the time it starts from defective sites, dislocations or point defects, that define nearly circular flakes surrounded by bare SiC. These flakes have a volcano-like shape with a graphite chimney at the centre, where the original defect was located. At higher temperatures a complete conversion occurs, which is not yet homogeneous on the whole sample. This growth process can be modified by covering the sample with a graphite cap. It changes the physics of the surface reconstruction during the Si-sublimation process and, on the C face, makes more efficient the reconstruction of few selected terraces with respect to the others. The net result is the formation of strongly step-bunched areas with, in between, long and large reconstructed terraces covered by graphitic material. Despite the low intrinsic optical absorption of a few graphene layers on SiC, micro-transmission experiments, complemented by micro-Raman spectroscopy, demonstrate that most of this graphitic coverage is made of one or two homogeneous graphene layers. We show also that most of the thermal stress between the graphene layer and the 6H–SiC substrate is relaxed by pleats or wrinkles which are clearly visible on the AFM images. Finally, the results of transport experiments performed on the graphitic ribbons reveal the p-type character of the ribbons.

Interplay between interferences and electron-electron interactions in epitaxial graphene

We separate localization and interaction effects in epitaxial graphene devices grown on the C-face of a 4H-SiC substrate by analyzing the low temperature conductivities. Weak localization and antilocalization are extracted at low magnetic fields, after elimination of a geometric magnetoresistance and subtraction of the magnetic field dependent Drude conductivity. The electron electron interaction correction is extracted at higher magnetic fields, where localization effects disappear. Both phenomena are weak but sizable and of the same order of magnitude. If compared to graphene on silicon dioxide, electron electron interaction on epitaxial graphene are not significantly reduced by the larger dielectric constant of the SiC substrate.

Benefit of H2 surface pretreatment for 4H-SiC oxynitridation using N2O and rapid thermal processing steps

The effect of H2 surface pretreatment on the density of interface traps in SiO2 films grown on the Si-face of 4H-SiC has been investigated. With respect to the more conventional oxide grown in nitrous oxide gas by rapid thermal processing but without any preannealing step, we find that the interface trap and fixed oxide charge densities have been reduced by, typically, one order of magnitude. The reasons for such improvement in the properties of the SiO2/SiC interface after preoxidation hydrogen annealing are discussed.

Effects of Photons on 4H-SiC Rapid Thermal Oxidation Using Nitrous Oxide Gas

Rapid thermal processing (RTP) has been evaluated as an alternative to conventional furnace technique for oxynitridation of 4H-SiC. Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) under atmospheric pressure conditions was used as oxidizing gas. The beneficial effect of high energy photons, coming from the RTP halogen lamps, leads to an enhancement of the N 2 0 molecule dissociation and an augmentation of the diffusion rate of dissociated species in the growing oxide. Compared to classical N 2 O oxidation, the net effect is not only to increase the growth rate but also to result in dielectrics that exhibit a reduced trapped charge, a more stable oxide/4H-SiC overall structure, and a better (less defective) interface. Further optimization, combined with a better understanding of the N 2 O rapid thermal oxidation process, should provide new issues for the growth of gate oxides in the SiC microelectronic industry.

Low loss, large area 4.5 kV 4H-SiC PIN diodes with reduced forward voltage drift

4H-SiC PIN diodes have been fabricated on a Norstel P+/N/N+ substrate with a combination of Mesa and JTE as edge termination. A breakdown voltage of 4.5 kV has been measured at 1 mu A for devices with an active area of 2.6 mm(2). The differential on-resistance at 15 A (600 A cm(-2)) was of only 1.7 m Omega cm(2) (25 degrees C) and 1.9 m Omega cm(2) at 300 degrees C. The reduced recovery charge was of 300 nC for a switched current of 15 A (500 V) at 300 degrees C. 20% of the diodes showed no degradation at all after 60 h of dc stress (25-225 degrees C). Other 30% of the diodes exhibit a reduced voltage shift below 1 V. For those diodes, the leakage current remains unaffected after the dc stress. Electroluminescence investigations reveal a very low density of stacking faults after the dc stress. The manufacturing yield evidences the efficiency of the substrate surface preparation and our technological process.

Nanostructuring of epitaxial graphene layers on SiC by means of field-induced atomic force microscopy modification

Micrometer-size graphene ribbons are generated by epitaxial growth on SiC substrates and contacted by electron beam lithography. The isolated graphene islands are patterned at nanometer scale by atomic force microscopy (AFM) under the application of an external polarization to the graphene layers. Contrary to previous reports, the patterning can be made at positive and negative polarizations and using significantly lower absolute voltages. The technique is used to tune the electrical resistance of the graphene ribbons. Combination of graphitization of SiC and AFM nanopatterning is, in consequence, a powerful approach for the fabrication of prototyped graphene-based nanoelectronic devices.

3.3 kV-10A 4H-SiC PiN Diodes

An innovative process has been developed by Linköping University to prepare the 4HSiC substrate surface before epitaxial growth. The processed PiN diodes have been characterized in forward and reverse mode at different temperature. The larger diodes (2.56 mm2) have a very low leakage current around 20 nA @ 500V for temperatures up to 300°C. A performant yield (68%) was obtained on these larger diodes have a breakdown voltage superior to 500V. Electroluminescence characteristics have been done on these devices and they show that there is no generation of Stacking Faults during the bipolar conduction.