Influence of SiC cover layer of Si substrate on properties of cubic SiC films prepared by hydrogen plasma sputtering

Cubic SiC films are grown on the (100) Si substrate with a thin SiC cover l ayer at 850 degrees C by hydrogen plasma sputtering. The influences of the SiC cover layer on the properties of the SiC films are studied by scanning electron microscopy observation, Xray diffraction and infrared absorption m easurements. The obtained results demonstrate that a SiC cover layer with a thickness of about 10 nm can eliminate the hollow voids which form at the SiC film/Si substrate interface due to the plasma etching of the substrate. Furthermore, the crystal quality of the SiC films depends strongly on the crystallinity of the SiC cover layer.