Stress relaxation effect in porous 3C-SiC/Si heterostructure by micro-Raman spectroscopy

Cubic (3C) SiC layers with initial biaxial stress value of about 0.4 GPa ar e observed by micro-Raman scattering measurements to be completely relaxed after formation of a porous network in the 3C-SiC/Si heterostructure. The p orous heterostructure is obtained by an anodization procedure in HF acid so lutions usually used for porous Si fabrication. The influence of some anodi zation parameters such as the anodization current density, HF concentration , and anodization depth on the stress relaxation effect is described. The r elaxation is found to be mainly due to pore formation at the 3C-SiC/Si inte rface. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.