NANOTRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF EPITAXIAL GRAPHENE GROWN ON CTERMINATED FACE OF SILICON CARBIDE SEMICONDUCTOR

Abstract

The frictional properties of mono-layer and multilayer epitaxial graphene grown on the C terminated face of SiC has beeninvestigated by using atomic force microscopy measurements. Epitaxially grown graphene samples were characterized byRaman spectroscopy measurements. Atomic force microscopy has been employed in ambient conditions for frictionmeasurements using pre-calibrated cantilevers. Both Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy analysis showed thatthe number of defects, which increases consistent with increasing number of graphene layers, plays an important role on thetribological properties of epitaxial graphene.