abstract
The influence of Ge deposition prior to carbon interaction with 3 degrees off-axis Si(111) substrates on the structural and morphological properties of the formed silicon carbide (SiC) layer is studied. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed the formation of the cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) modification. In situ spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements revealed a decreasing 3C-SiC thickness with increasing Ge predeposition. Atomic force microscopy (A F M) studies revealed that the surface overlayer morphology is mainly formed by periodic step arrangements whose relevant geometric parameters, i.e. lateral separation, height and terrace width, depend on the Ge content. Besides the changes of the step morphology, the surface roughness and the grain size and the strain of the formed 3C-SiC decreases with increasing germanium precoverage. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
keywords
MOLECULAR-BEAM EPITAXY; CUBIC SILICON-CARBIDE; BULK CRYSTAL-GROWTH; ELECTRICAL CHARACTERIZATION; SIC/SI HETEROSTRUCTURES; HETEROEPITAXIAL GROWTH; MODIFIED INTERFACES; SI SURFACES; THIN-FILMS; DEPOSITION
subject category
Chemistry
authors
Nader, R; Kazan, M; Moussaed, E; Stauden, T; Niebelschutz, M; Masri, P; Pezoldt, J
Groups
acknowledgements
Richard NADER would like to thank the 'Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie' (AUF) under Ref.: P6-411/3089 for supporting this work.