GROWTH OF EPITAXIAL 3C-SIC FILMS ON (111) SILICON SUBSTRATES AT 850-DEGREES-C BY REACTIVE MAGNETRON SPUTTERING

Reactive magnetron sputtering in a mixed Ar/CH4 discharge has been use d to deposit 3C-SiC films on (111)-oriented Si substrates. The carbon content as well as the crystalline structure was found to depend on bo th the CH4 and Ar pressures. At a total pressure of 3 mTorr and a CH4 partial pressure of 0.6 mTorr, epitaxial stoichiometric films were obt ained at growth temperatures as low as 850-degrees-C. The epitaxial na ture of the films was established by x-ray diffraction using a combina tion of reciprocal space maps, texture scans, and 360-degrees phi scan s. Based on these analyses it could also be concluded that double-posi tioning domains rotated 60-degrees to one another as well as other def ects, giving rise to a mosaic broadening in the reciprocal space maps, were present in the films. Furthermore, based on plasma probe measure ments and determination of the electron energy distribution functions in the near-substrate vicinity, the low growth temperature of 850-degr ees-C is suggested to be a consequence of an effective decomposition o f CH4 molecules in the plasma.