Growth and characterization of SiC films on large-area Si wafers by APCVD - Temperature dependence

Abstract

3C-SiC films have been grown on large-area silicon wafers at different substrate temperatures by atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD), using silane, propane and hydrogen. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the microstructure of these films changed from single- to polycrystalline with decreasing growth temperature. Excess silicon was detected in SiC films grown at 1100°C by X-ray glance incidence diffractometry. Based on gas phase kinetics analysis, the existence of excess silicon in these films could be explained by analyzing the kinetics governing the decomposition of C3H8 at lower temperatures.