Single crystal silicon carbide on silicon using a supersonic gas jet of methylsilane

Cubic SiC films have been grown on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates at temperatures between 600 °C and 900 °C with a single supersonic molecular beam source. Methylsilane (H₃SiCH₃) was used as the sole precursor with hydrogen and nitrogen as seeding gases. Optical reflectance was used to monitor in situ growth rate and macroscopic roughness. The growth rate of SiC was found to depend strongly on substrate orientation, methylsilane kinetic energy, and growth temperature. Growth rates were 1.5 to 2 times greater on Si(111) than on Si(001). The maximum growth rates achieved were 0.63 μm/hr on Si(111) and 0.375 μm/hr on Si(001). Transmission electron diffraction (TED) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for structural characterization. In-plane azimuthal (φ-) scans show that films on Si(001) have the correct 4-fold symmetry and that films on Si(111) have a 6-fold symmetry. The 6-fold symmetry indicates that stacking has occurred in two different sequences and double positioning boundaries have been formed. The minimum rocking curve width for SiC on Si(001) and Si(111) is 1.2°. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) absorption was performed to discern the chemical bonding. Cross Sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (XTEM) was used to image the SiC/Si interface.