Texturing of polycrystalline SiC films on graphitic carbon in laminated composites grown by forced-flow chemical vapor infiltration

Abstract

The growth and orientation of SiC on pyrocarbon using forced-flow thermal gradient chemical vapor infiltration to deposit alternate layers of these materials has been examined by transmission electron microscopy. The SiC layers were determined to be predominantly of the cubic (β) polytype, and the close-packed {111} SiC planes were found to be mostly oriented parallel and next to the highly dense {0001} C basal planes of the pyrocarbon layers at the interface. A model involving close-packed plane sequencing is proposed for the C/SiC interface.