Thin films of 3C-type carbide were grown onto Si(001) and Si(111) substrates by means of supersonic jet epitaxy. Cross-sectional high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy was used to study the SiC/Si interface structure and defects. The occurrence of twins was evident in selected area electron diffraction patterns from a SiC/Si(111) heterostructure. A 39º angle between twinned and untwinned {111} planes in the [1¯10] projection was confirmed by X-ray pole figures. The twinning was attributed to growth on the {111} planes. Pure-edge misfit dislocations were found at the interface, and accommodated the extreme lattice mismatch in the SiC/Si(001) heterostructures. A schematic model for the scanning transmission electron microscopic images revealed that a pair of 60º dislocations intersected so as to form an edge misfit dislocation. A large number of stacking faults and micro-twins was present in SiC thin films which were grown on either Si(001) or Si(111) substrates. The formation of planar defects was attributed to the coalescence of individual 3-dimensional islands.

Structural Defects in 3C-SiC Grown on Si by Supersonic Jet Epitaxy C.Long, S.A.Ustin, W.Ho: Journal of Applied Physics, 1999, 86[5], 2509-15