Critical Temperature Programs for Surface Carbonization of Si(111) and Their Effects on 3C-SiC Film Growth

We have studies of the changes in the surface states of carbonized Si(111) substrates treated under various temperature programs prior to high-temperature 3C-SiC film growth in a low pressure chemical vapor deposition system using SiH 4 , C 2 H 2 , and H 2 as reactant gases. The carbonized Si surface underwent a change in bonding from SiC to disordered graphite, together with the formation of etch pits, when heated directly from the carbonization temperature of 1343 K to the growth temperature of 1523 K under a H 2 flow over a period of 5 min; this transformation deteriorated the quality of the subsequent 3C-SiC growth. In contrast, a void-free stoichiometric SiC surface was preserved when we inserted a rapid cooling step, to near room temperature, under a H 2 flow of 352 sccm within a period of 15 min after shutting off the C 2 H 2 gas flow at the end of the surface carbonization process. The sharp temperature decrease in this program sealed off the carbonized substrate surface and, thus, led to a high film quality for subsequent 3C-SiC(111) growth.