INVESTIGATION OF GROWTH-CONDITIONS FOR EPITAXIAL-GROWTH OF SIC ON SI IN THE SOLID-SOURCE MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY

Thin crystalline SiC films were grown on Si(111) using solid state eva poration at substrate temperatures between 780 and 900 degrees C. The growth rates were in the range between 30 and 120 nm h(-1). The films were characterized by in situ reflection high-energy electron diffract ion (RHEED) and ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanni ng electron microscopy (SEM), infrared (IR) spectroscopy and X-ray dif fraction (XRD. The films grown at high temperatures and low growth rat es were found to be epitaxial. They mostly consist of twinned-cubic st ructure, but with increasing layer thickness hexagonal stacking sequen ces often were found. In the orientation distribution function full wi dth at half maximum (FWHM) values of down to 1 degrees were measured. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.