Growth of 3C-SiC on Si(111) using the four-step non-cooling process

Abstract

A modified four-step method was applied to grow a 3C-SiC thin film of high quality on the off-axis 1.5 degrees Si(111) substrate in a mixed gas of C(3)H(8), SiH(4) and H(2) using low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The modified four-step method adds a diffusion step after the carburization step and removes the cooling from the traditional threestep method (clean, carburization, and growth). The X-ray intensity of the 3C-SiC(111) peak is enhanced from 5 x 10(4) counts/s (the modified three steps) to 1.1 x 10(5) counts/s (the modified four steps). The better crystal quality of 3C-SiC is confirmed by the X-ray rocking curves of 3C-SiC(111). 3C-SiC is epitaxially grown on Si( 111) supported by the selected area electron diffraction patterns taken at the 3C-SiC/Si(111) interface. Some (111) stacking faults and twins appear inside the 3C-SiC, which may result from the stress induced in the 3C-SiC thin film due to lattice mismatch. The diffusion step plays roles in enhancing the formation of Si-C bonds and in reducing the void density at the 3C-SiC/Si(111) interface. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.