Modeling of Laser-Induced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Silicon Carbide Rods from Tetramethylsilane

Finite-difference fluid-dynamics modeling has been used to predict deposition rates, fractional amounts of phases, and deposition morphology for the codeposition of silicon carbide and pyrolitic carbon from tetramethylsilane via laser-induced chemical vapor deposition (LCVD). Calculated results agree fairly well with rod deposition experiments. The morphologic features of rods that have been grown using LCVD are examined and explained using the results of the finite-difference calculations.