Growth of atomically thin silagraphene (graphene-like 2D SiC) using Cu-Si liquid catalysis

We investigate the growth of two-dimensional silicon carbide (2D SiC), also known as Silagraphene. Silagraphene features a honeycomb lattice with C and Si atoms and exhibits a direct bandgap, making it suitable for advanced semiconductor devices and silicon photonic integrated circuits. Leveraging the success of Liquid Metal Catalysis (LMCat) in the growth of graphene, we plan to grow for the first time thin graphitic or single layer SiC using liquid CuxSiy. By performing CVD growth on LMCats we have achieved the growth of micron size crystals of SiC inside molten CuxSiy, thus the thickness of the CuxSiy layer affects the thickness of the SiC. We aim to investigate in-situ the growth of SiC in few atomic layers of liquid CuxSiy, by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD), Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (GISAXS) and X-ray Reflectivity (XRR). This experimental strategy will allow us to delineate the exact growth mechanisms of 2D SiC and fine tune its growth conditions.