Controlled epitaxial graphene growth within amorphous carbon corrals

Structured growth of high quality graphene is necessary for technological development of carbon based electronics. Specifically, control of the bunching and placement of surface steps under epitaxial graphene on SiC is an important consideration for graphene device production. We demonstrate lithographically patterned evaporated amorphous carbon corrals as a method to pin SiC surface steps. Evaporated amorphous carbon is an ideal step-flow barrier on SiC due to its chemical compatibility with graphene growth and its structural stability at high temperatures, as well as its patternability. The amorphous carbon is deposited in vacuum on SiC prior to graphene growth. In the graphene furnace at temperatures above 1200$^\circ$C, mobile SiC steps accumulate at these amorphous carbon barriers, forming an aligned step free region for graphene growth at temperatures above 1330$^\circ$C. AFM imaging and Raman spectroscopy support the formation of quality step-free graphene sheets grown on SiC with the step morphology aligned to the carbon grid

Structure, stability and stress properties of amorphous and nanostructured carbon films

Structural and mechanical properties of amorphous and nanocomposite carbon are investigated using tight-binding molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations. In the case of amorphous carbon, we show that the variation of sp^3 fraction as a function of density is linear over the whole range of possible densities, and that the bulk moduli follow closely the power-law variation suggested by Thorpe. We also review earlier work pertained to the intrinsic stress state of tetrahedral amorphous carbon. In the case of nanocomposites, we show that the diamond inclusions are stable only in dense amorphous tetrahedral matrices. Their hardness is considerably higher than that of pure amorphous carbon films. Fully relaxed diamond nanocomposites possess zero average intrinsic stress.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Observation and analysis of in situ carbonaceous matter in Nakhla: Part I

New analyses of indigenous secondary material in the martian meteorite Nakhla reveal amorphous carbon-rich veins and dendrites. The texture and chemistry of this material resembles that of biogenically altered sub-ocean basaltic glasses

Energetics and stability of nanostructured amorphous carbon

Monte Carlo simulations, supplemented by ab initio calculations, shed light into the energetics and thermodynamic stability of nanostructured amorphous carbon. The interaction of the embedded nanocrystals with the host amorphous matrix is shown to determine in a large degree the stability and the relative energy differences among carbon phases. Diamonds are stable structures in matrices with sp^3 fraction over 60%. Schwarzites are stable in low-coordinated networks. Other sp^2-bonded structures are metastable.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

In situ Observation of Carbon-Nanopillar Tubulization Caused by Liquidlike Iron Particles

The tubulization process of amorphous carbon nanopillars was observed in situ by transmission electron microscopy. Amorphous carbon nanopillars were transformed into graphitic tubules by annealing at 650–900 °C in the presence of iron nanoparticles. A molten catalyst nanoparticle penetrated an amorphous carbon nanopillar, dissolving it, and leaving a graphite track behind. An iron nanoparticle moved with its shape changing like an earthworm. We concluded that the tubulization mechanism is a solid-(quasiliquid)-solid mechanism where the carbon phase transformation is a kind of liquid phase graphitization of amorphous carbon catalyzed by liquefied metal-carbon alloy nanoparticles