▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - The process comprises: subjecting an epitaxial graphene sample to an ex situ functionalization step, which comprises immersing the sample in an acid solution, salt solution or oxygen plasma for several seconds, removing the sample from the acid solution, salt solution and oxygen plasma and rinsing with water for several seconds and immersing the rinsed sample in a warm standard clean 1 (SC1) solution for 10 minutes at 80-110 degrees C to form an hydroxide-terminated surface on the sample; and subjecting the sample having the hydroxide-terminated surface to an in situ treatment cycle. USE - The process is useful for functionalizing a surface of an epitaxial graphene sample for atomic layer deposition (ALD) of a dielectric in an ALD reactor (claimed), where: the graphene sample is useful for nanoelectronic devices such as FET; and the dielectric is high-k oxide-based dielectric or includes aluminum oxide or hafnium oxide. ADVANTAGE - The process improves the channel mobility and performance of the nanoelectronic devices by screening charged impurities and reducing the high leakage currents observed in silicon dioxide gated oxides. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The process comprises: subjecting an epitaxial graphene sample to an ex situ functionalization step, which comprises immersing the sample in an acid solution, salt solution or oxygen plasma for several seconds, removing the sample from the acid solution, salt solution and oxygen plasma and rinsing with water for several seconds and immersing the rinsed sample in a warm standard clean 1 (SC1) solution for 10 minutes at 80-110 degrees C to form an hydroxide-terminated surface on the sample; and subjecting the sample having the hydroxide-terminated surface to an in situ treatment cycle comprising water pulses inside an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor. The hydroxide-terminated surface enables nucleation of dielectrics. The water pulses are separated by a corresponding purge step. The functionalized surface of the sample is configured for the disposition of a smooth and conformal dielectric layer.