Yukimune Watanabe

Growth mechanisms of 3C-SiC layer by carbonization of Si(100) substrates in high-vacuum region

The carbonization mechanism of Si(100) substrates was examined under a pressure of approximately 10−2 Pa. The results indicate that the concentration of carbon on the surface determined the growth mechanism of the carbonized layer. At the initial stage, the carbonized layer forms by epitaxial growth at a pressure lower than 1.1 × 10−2 Pa (p0). At a pressure higher than p0, the growth by diffusion becomes gradually predominant with increasing pressure. After the entire silicon substrate was covered with the carbonized layer, the carbonized layer was grown by diffusion. At pressures ranging from 1.2 × 10−2 Pa (pe) to 2.8 × 10−2 Pa, the growth rate increased linearly with increasing pressure. The growth rate was constant at pressures higher than 2.8 × 10−2 Pa because the amount of carbon incorporated in the carbonized layer saturated. Process pressure was an important parameter that determined the growth mechanism of the carbonized layer.