Epitaxial 3C-SiC nanocrystal formation at the SiO2/Si interface after carbon implantation and subsequent annealing in CO atmosphere

Abstract

3C-SiC nanocrystallites were epitaxially formed on a single crystalline Si surface covered by a 150nm thick SiO2 capping layer after low dose carbon implantation and subsequent high temperature annealing in CO atmosphere. Carbon implantation is used to introduce nucleation sites by forming silicon–carbon clusters at the SiO2/Si interface facilitating the growth of 3C-SiC nanocrystallites.