Growth mechanism of 3C–SiC(111) films on Si using tetramethylsilane by rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

We have used a rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition technique to grow epitaxial SiC thin films on Si wafers by pyrolyzing tetramethylsilane (TMS). The films were observed to grow along the (111) direction of 3C–SiC at temperatures above 1000 °C. The quality of the films was significantly influenced by the TMS flow rate in the gas mixture, the growth temperature, and the gas pressure in the reactor. Single-crystal SiC films were grown at TMS flow rates below 1.0 sccm with a H2 carrier gas flow rate of 100 sccm. The gas pressure in the reactor has a great influence on the crystallinity, morphology, and thickness of the SiC film grown. Gas phase analyses indicated that TMS dissociates into hydrogen, silicon atoms, and hydrocarbons such as CH4, C2H2, and C2H4 at the growth temperature. The chemical composition of the grown films was analyzed. The growth mechanism of the SiC film on the Si substrate without the carbonization process is discussed based on the experimental results.