Relaxing layers of silicon carbide grown on a silicon substrate by magnetron sputtering

Epitaxial layers of silicon carbide of the 3C-polytype are prepared by magnetron sputtering on Si(111) substrates of structural perfection with ω_θ = 1.4°. The crystalline structure and surface morphology of the 3C-SiC/Si(111) heterostructures depending on film thickness are studied by X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and atomic-force microscopy. It is found that the additional energy of ionized particles that is imparted to the Si(111) substrate during magnetron sputtering contributes the formation of strong C-C and β-SiC bonds, which hinders the crossing of the grain boundary by dislocations with increasing growth time.