Materials Science Forum Vols. 679-680

Abstract: Thin SiC buffer layers have been grown by sputtering a graphite C target onto both (111) and (110) Si substrates. Converting the graphitic C into SiC is highly temperature dependent and relies on free silicon atoms that sublime from voids in the substrate at higher temperatures. Morphological and structural investigations were performed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD).

Abstract: We developed the computer simulation method to study growth of SiC at the SiC(0001)/Si1-xCx interface based on the Monte Carlo method. Energy is calculated by using the Tersoff potential and the lattice spacing is sub-divided to enable the structural relaxation in a dicrete manner. Before making an attempt for the atomic difusion via the species exchange process in the Metropolis alogrithm, local relaxation is carried out to locate atoms at the local minima of the potential surface. Then, parallel computation is carried out to thermally equilibrate a system.

Abstract: XPD and XRD measurements revealed a difference in the crystallographic polarity of 3C-SiC(111) grown on Si(111) carbonized by ethene diluted in hydrogen at atmospheric pressure in a rapid thermal chemical vapour deposition reactor and the crystallographic polarity of 3C-SiC(111) formed in an ethene hydrogen gas mixture at low pressures. In the first case C-face polar material was formed, whereas in the second case the grown expitaxial layer exhibits Si-face surface polarity.

Abstract: A good selection of growth parameters (in-situ etching, C/Si ratio, growth rate) enables obtaining of ~1nm high steps of epitaxial layers, which are comparable to the size of an elementary cell (8°off-axis) and achieve the density of BPD=8•103/cm2. Due to crystallization on substrates with low misorientation (<2°off-axis) it is possible to obtain epitaxial layers substantially lacking in BPD dislocations. However, a slightly more developed surface with Ra=1-2.5nm (1.25°, 2°off-axis) characterizes these layers. By lowering the C/Si ratio, morphology of layers crystallized on substrates with low misorientation was improved. Extending growth rate improved both the crystallographic quality of the grown layers and their polytype stability. Nevertheless, growth without BPDs, also referred to as the homogeneous (4H) polytypic growth on 4H-SiC on-axis substrates, is the most efficient way of defect elimination.

Abstract: In this work, the growth by Vapour-Liquid-Solid (VLS) mechanism of 3C-SiC on silicon substrate is reported. Firstly, a germanium layer is deposited on the substrate. Then the temperature of the sample is increased above Ge melting point in order to form a SiGe liquid phase by reaction with the substrate. Upon reaching the target temperature (1100-1300°C) the VLS growth starts with the injection of propane in the reactor. Both Raman spectrometry and X-Ray diffraction analyses evidenced the formation of 3C-SiC on every sample. However, this SiC deposit, a few micrometers thick, is always found to be polycrystalline though textured. In parallel, the presence of an epitaxial Si-Ge alloy, whose composition depends on the growth temperature, was systematically detected between Si and SiC.

Abstract: Growth of 3C or 6H-SiC epilayers on low off-axis 6H-SiC substrates can be mastered by changing the size of the on axis plane formed by long terraces in the epilayer using geometrical control. The desired polytype can be selected in thick (~200 µm) layers of both 6H-SiC and 3C-SiC polytypes on substrates with off-orientation as low as 1.4 and 2 degrees. The resultant crystal quality of the 3C and the 6H-SiC epilayers, grown under the same process parameters, deteriorates when lowering the off-orientation of the substrate.

Abstract: We adopted HMDS(Hexamethyledisilane) as a SiC(Silicon carbide) source material for epitaxial growth of 3C-SiC on Si substrate. Various growth profiles were investigated to optimize hetero-epitaxial growth of 3C-SiC layers. We also focused on the homogeneous film deposition of 3C-SiC on Si by employing two susceptor shapes, flat and tilted susceptors, to control a thickness of the boundary layer formed on the Si substrate. Fringe color patterns were observed on 3C-SiC layer on Si and hence it was easy to characterize the film uniformity by analyzing this color. 3C-SiC epitaxial layers were systematically analyzed by an optical microscope, a Raman spectroscopy, a SEM and an XRD.

Abstract: In this work we report on 3C-SiC heteroepitaxial growth on 4H-SiC(0001) substrates which were patterned to form mesa structures. Two different deposition techniques were used and compared: vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism and chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The results in terms of surface morphology evolution and the polytype formation using these growth techniques were studied and compared. It was observed both 4H lateral growth from the mesa sidewalls and 3C enlargement on top of the mesas, the former being faster with CVD and VLS. Only VLS technique allowed elimination of twin boundaries for proper orientation of the mesa sidewalls.

Abstract: The effect of different C/Si ratio on the surface morphology has been studied to optimize the on-axis homoepitaxial growth conditions on 4H-SiC substrates to improve the surface roughness of epilayers. The overall surface roughness is found to decrease with decreasing C/Si ratio. An order of magnitude lower surface roughness has been observed using C/Si ratio = 0.8 without disturbing the polytype stability in the epilayer. A high growth rate of 10 µm/h was achieved without introducing 3C inclusions. The epilayers grown at higher growth rate with C/Si ratio = 1 also had improvements in the surface roughness. 100% 4H polytype was maintained in the epilayers grown with C/Si ratio in the range of 1.2 to 0.8 and with high growth rate of 10 µm/h.

Abstract: Homo- and heteroepitaxial 3C-SiC layers were grown on 4H-SiC step-free mesas. The yields of smooth, defect-free mesas were ~ 17% for both intentionally and unintentionally doped films, while those with screw dislocations and multiple stepped surfaces were ~ 22%. The electronic and structural properties of the mesas were found on a micrometer-sized length scale using µ-PL and µ-Raman, respectively. 3C-SiC mesas were found to have complete 3C-SiC coverage with some of the mesas having electronic defects, while other mesas were found to be defect-free.