▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - The process for functionalizing a surface of an epitaxial graphene sample (EG sample) for atomic layer deposition (ALD) of a dielectric in an ALD reactor, comprises: (1) subjecting the EG sample to an ex situ functionalization step; and (2) subjecting the EG sample having a hydroxyl (OH)-terminated surface to an in situ treatment cycle. The ex situ functionalization step comprises: (a) immersing the EG sample in a salt solution and an oxygen plasma for several seconds; and (b) removing the EG sample from the salt solution and the oxygen plasma and rinsing with water for several seconds. USE - The process is useful for functionalizing a surface of an EG sample for ALD of a dielectric in an ALD reactor (claimed) in a fabrication process of electronic devices such as high electron mobility transistors and FETs, where the dielectric is aluminum oxide or hafnium oxide. ADVANTAGE - The process is capable of economically, rapidly and reliably functionalizing the surface of the epitaxial graphene sample, and can be easily performed in any solid state physics laboratory or clean room with readily available materials. The functionalized graphene: has improved electronic and physical properties including high intrinsic carrier (electron and hole) mobility and thermal conductivity; and reduces impurities and leakage currents in the fabrication of the electronic devices. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The process for functionalizing a surface of an epitaxial graphene sample (EG sample) for atomic layer deposition (ALD) of a dielectric in an ALD reactor, comprises: (1) subjecting the EG sample to an ex situ functionalization step; and (2) subjecting the EG sample having an hydroxyl (OH)-terminated surface to an in situ treatment cycle. The ex situ functionalization step comprises: (a) immersing the EG sample in a salt solution and an oxygen plasma for several seconds; (b) removing the EG sample from the salt solution and the oxygen plasma and rinsing with water for several seconds; and (c) immersing the rinsed EG sample in a standard clean (SC) solution of (ammonium hydroxide:hydrogen peroxide:deionized water) in a (1:1:5) ratio at a temperature of 80-110 degrees C for several minutes to form the hydroxyl (OH)-terminated surface on the EG sample. The OH-terminated surface is capable of nucleation of dielectrics. The in situ treatment cycle comprises water pulses inside the ALD reactor, where each of the water pulses is separated only by a corresponding purge step. The functionalized surface of the EG sample is configured for the disposition of a smooth and conformal dielectric layer. The EG sample is soaked in the SC solution for 10 minutes.