The heterostructure formed by cubic silicon carbide/silicon (3C-SiC/Si) was very promising as substrate for cubic III-N growth and for SiC devices. Optimized Si substrate carbonization process before the epitaxial growth of SiC, leads to a higher quality of the layer. Transmission electron microscopy was used to analyze the defect morphology and strain of SiC layers grown by chemical vapor deposition on 2 differently carbonized substrates, with tensile and compressive strain state. Misfit dislocations, stacking faults and antiphase domains were observed in this hetero-epitaxial system. Irrespective of the substrate used, the epitaxial relationship between Si and SiC was good. However, the grain misorientation of the mosaic structure and the strain of the overgrowth layer depend drastically on the carbonization conditions of the Si substrate.

Defect Morphology and Strain of CVD Grown 3C-SiC Layers - Effect of the Carbonization Process. D.Méndez, A.Aouni, F.M.Morales, F.J.Pacheco , D.Araújo, E.Bustarret, G.Ferro, Y.Monteil: Physica Status Solidi A, 2005, 202[4], 561-5