Investigation of the nucleation and growth of SiC nanostructures on Si

Using in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) th e early stages of SiC growth on Si during the carbonisation were investigat ed in a solid source molecular beam epitaxy equipment. Different mechanisms of SiC precipitate growth by SSMBE were found. The SiC growth during carbo nisation of Si(111) at 600 degreesC is controlled by diffusion and at highe r temperatures by a two-dimensional nucleation process, which is mononuclea r at 660 degreesC and polynuclear above 750 degreesC. At temperatures great er than 750 degreesC and 850 degreesC three-dimensional nucleation occurs a t (111) and (100) surfaces, respectively. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. Al l rights reserved.