Synthesis of SiO{sub 2}/β-SiC/graphite hybrid composite by low temperature hot filament chemical vapor deposition

β-SiC thin films were synthesized directly on graphite by hot filament chemical vapor deposition at low temperature. SiH{sub 4} diluted in hydrogen was employed as the silicon source, while graphite was functioned as both substrate and carbon source for the as-grown β-SiC films. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared analysis indicate that SiO{sub 2}/β-SiC/graphite hybrid composite was formed after post annealing treatment, and its crystalline quality can be remarkably improved under optimized annealing conditions. The possible growth mechanism was proposed based on in situ etching of graphite by reactive hydrogen radicals at the atomic level.