The growth mechanism of SiC film on a Si(111)-(7x7) surface by C-60 precursor studied by photoelectron spectroscopy

We have investigated the growth mechanism of SiC film by the thermal reacti on of C-60 molecules adsorbed on a Si(111)-(7 x 7) surface using photoelect ron spectroscopy. The growth of SiC film, performed by repeating the sample annealing at 1370 K following the adsorption of C-60 molecules, is confirm ed by the profile of the valence spectrum. The bonding nature between C-60 molecules and the SiC surface is considered to have a covalent character at 300 and 670 K, and both covalent and ionic characters at 870 K by the ther mal-dependent valence and C 1s core level spectra of a 1 monolayer C-60 fil m adsorbed on SiC. Furthermore, we determined that the breaking of the C60 cage and the formation of SiC occurred at 1070 K, i.e. at a temperature 100 K lower than that on a Si(111) surface.