Mechanisms of epitaxial growth of SiC films by the method of atom substitution on the surfaces (100) and (111) of Si single crystals and on surfaces of Si films grown on single crystals Al2O3

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

The structure and morphology of silicon carbide (SiC) films formed by a new method of atom substitution on the surfaces (100) and (111) of silicon substrates (Si) were investigated. It is shown that the singular faces (100) of Si in the process of substitution of silicon atoms for carbon atoms are transformed into a face of SiC, consisting of an ensemble of facets resembling saw-tooth structures, the side surfaces of which are covered with planes (111) and (110) and (210). Theoretically, a fundamentally different mechanism of atom substitution on the faces (111) and faces (100) is described and experimentally confirmed. It was found that on the vicinal surface of Si, deviated 4° or more from the singular face (100), during the synthesis of SiC, an ordered phase of SiC is formed, the surface morphology of which appears as of facets (scales) consisting of faces (111). It is shown that the method of topochemical substitution of atoms can grow epitaxial SiC layers not only on a silicon substrate, but also on substrates of other materials, in particular, on single-crystal sapphire substrates.