Growth of 3C-SiC on (100) Si was performed via chemical vapor deposition under low or atmospheric pressures during the early stages of growth. Atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to study the initial stage of growth while X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze thicker films and to detect and quantify defects. It was found that the secondary nucleation of 3C-SiC island growth leads to a higher defect generation rate and, at the same time, to a more effective defect elimination rate. Hillocks found on the surface of thin samples grown under reduced pressure conditions were more pronounced as they seemed to be a consequence of twins created in the early stage of growth. Finally, a different initial nucleation density (in the two pressure regimes considered) does not strongly influence stacking fault and micro-twin density when growth of thick 3C-SiC films was performed. A very strong influence was indeed observed when 3C-SiC thickness was limited to hundreds of nm.

Structural Defects in (100) 3C-SiC Heteroepitaxy - Influence of the Buffer Layer Morphology on Generation and Propagation of Stacking Faults and Microtwins. A.Severino, C.Frewin, C.Bongiorno, R.Anzalone, S.E.Saddow, F.La Via: Diamond and Related Materials, 2009, 18[12], 1440-9