Influence of substrate temperature on formation of an SiC buffer layer by reaction of Si(100) with silane-methane plasma

Abstract

A clean Si(100) surface was reacted at temperatures over the range 750-1050 • C with methane-silane-hydrogen plasma. The reaction products on the surface were investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, reflection high-energy electron diffraction, infrared absorption spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The results indicate that using substrate temperatures higher than 800 • C the reaction products on the surface are epitaxial islands that have a β-silicon carbide crystalline structure. For lower temperatures a more planar layer with a loss in the crystalline quality was observed.