Aïda Bensebaa will defend her thesis entitled: ‘Methods for growing graphene, in particular through the sublimation of silicon atoms from silicon carbide (SiC): prospects for application as an environmental sensor.

Based on various types of sensors (optical, calorimetric, pyroelectric, metal-oxide semiconductor and electrochemical, each with its own specific advantages and disadvantages), this PhD project aims to develop a method for detecting environmental pollutants. The idea is to help reduce pollutants through measurement. The TQNS team is equipped with a high-temperature furnace capable of synthesising graphene. Indeed, at high temperatures, Si sublimates from the surface, allowing an excess of carbon atoms to convert into graphene. To produce higher-quality graphene on SiC, there is a confinement-controlled sublimation (CCS) process that may be worth evaluating. SiC is chosen for several reasons: it is a non-oxide material, classified as ultra-refractory, and a semiconductor. However, the electronic properties of graphene can be compromised by interactions with the substrate material. The substrate must therefore adhere to the graphene; in this respect, SiC performs well, whilst remaining a cost-effective manufacturing method compatible with mass production. Consequently, this thesis will focus on methods for growing graphene, in particular through the sublimation of Si atoms from SiC, with a view to its use in environmental sensors.

Thesis co-supervised by Sylvie Contreras and Christophe Coillot