High-throughput thermodynamic study of SiC high-temperature chemical vapor deposition from TMS-H2

Abstract

A systematic study on the tetramethylsilane-hydorgen (TMS-H2) system by high-throughput thermodynamic method is conducted with a large experimental condition range (500 ∼ 2700 K, 0 ∼ 75 kPa, and H2:TMS ratio of 0.1 to 10000) towards the deposition of pure single-crystal SiC by high-temperature chemical vapor deposition (HTCVD) method. The temperature, pressure and H2:TMS ratio dependence phase diagrams are calculated to describe the deposition condition of single-phase “gas + SiC” region. Due to the etching effect of hydrogen on graphite, the increasing temperature and pressure could suppress the formation of graphite and favor the growth of SiC in the H2:TMS ratio above 1000, however, excessive H2:TMS ratio could reduce the TMS consumption efficiency. TMS consumption efficiency maps focusing on the gas + SiC region based on the phase diagrams have been carried out to balance the deposition parameters, SiC mole fraction and TMS consumption efficiency. When H2:TMS ratio > 1000, an accepted window for preparing single-phase SiC with a high TMS consumption efficiency (>90%) is provided, and this window could expand furtherly with increasing the ratio. TMS consumption efficiency maps offer the theoretic basis and guidance for improving the quality and cost of industrial production of single-crystal SiC by HTCVD method.