REACTION OF THIN NI FILMS WITH (001) 3C-SIC AT 700-DEGREES-C

The reaction layer of a thermally reacted thin Ni film, deposited by e lectron-beam evaporation on a single crystalline (001) 3C-SiC substrat e, was investigated after vacuum annealing at 700 degrees C in terms o f its morphology and structure by cross-sectional transmission electro n microscopy (TEM). Ni2Si and carbon are identified as reaction produc ts. Distinctive dissimilarities with depth in the morphology of the re acted layer are observed. Carbon appears to form isolated clusters in the upper part of the Ni2Si layer and microcolumns in the lower part.