We examined the substitutional doping of B atoms into epitaxial graphene on the SiC(0 0 0 1) surface. B atoms were deposited on the SiC(0 0 0 1) surface in advance of the growth of graphene. The B-induced changes in the surface morphology and chemical composition were characterized at the four thermal treatment stages in the growth of graphene (at 1120, 1370, 1520, and 1770 K) by low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), auger electron spectroscopy (AES), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The B atoms were found to hinder the formation of a spatially uniform graphene layer. However, local deformation of the graphene lattice, which should be observed if B atoms are successfully doped substitutionally, was not observed in STM. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.