The marked (3 x 3) reconstruction of the (111) surface 3C-type material was studied crystallographically by means of quantitative low-energy electron diffraction and holographic interpretation of diffraction intensities, scanning tunnelling microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. The reconstruction was also shown to be present on the (00•1) surfaces of 4H-type and 6H-type material. That is, it was largely independent of the nature of the polytype. It corresponded to a new type of semiconductor (n x n) surface restructuring which was characterized by a considerable reduction in the number of surface dangling bonds. This was equivalent to a very effective passivation of the surfaces, and favoured crystal growth via a step-flow mechanism.

Crystallography of the (3 x 3) Surface Reconstruction of 3C-SiC(111), 4H-SiC(0001) and 6H-SiC(0001) Surfaces Retrieved by Low-Energy Electron Diffraction. J.Schardt, J.Bernhardt, U.Starke, K.Heinz: Physical Review B, 2000, 62[15], 10335-44