Investigation of the nucleation and growth of SiC nanostructures on Si

Using in situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED), ex situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) the early stages of SiC growth on Si during the carbonisation were investigated in a solid source molecular beam epitaxy equipment. Different mechanisms of SiC precipitate growth by SSMBE were found. The SiC growth during carbonisation of Si(111) at 600°C is controlled by diffusion and at higher temperatures by a two-dimensional nucleation process, which is mononuclear at 660°C and polynuclear above 750°C. At temperatures greater than 750°C and 850°C three-dimensional nucleation occurs at (111) and (100) surfaces, respectively.