Tunable bands in biased multilayer epitaxial graphene

Abstract

We have studied the electronic characteristics of multilayer epitaxial graphene under a perpendicularly applied electric bias. Ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy measurements reveal that there is notable variation of the electronic density-of-states in valence bands near the Fermi level. Evolution of the electronic structure of graphite and rotational-stacked multilayer epitaxial graphene as a function of the applied electric bias is investigated using first-principles density-functional theory including interlayer van der Waals interactions. The experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that the tailoring of electronic band structure correlates with the interlayer coupling tuned by the applied bias. The implications of controllable electronic structure of rotationally fault-stacked epitaxial graphene grown on the C-face of SiC for future device applications are discussed.