Morphology of Optically Transparent Cubic Silicon Carbide Prepared by Chemical Vapor Deposition

Crystals of cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) were grown in an RF-induction furnace on graphite substrates by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) from a single precursor, methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) in hydrogen. The deposits were characterized by micro-Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and atomic force and scanning electron microscopies. Above ˜1600°C preferential 〈110〉 growth directions were identified for the majority of the crystals. At intermediate deposition temperatures (1600–1700°C) the dominant morphology consisted of yellow prismatic crystals heavily twinned along {111 }and {111} At substrate temperatures exceeding ˜1750°C hexagonally-shaped {1111} oriented 3C-SiC platelets were formed with alternating {001 }/{ 101} edges. The dependence of nucleation density, film morphology and film orientation on deposition conditions will be discussed with emphasis on the growth of high quality single crystals of 3C-SiC.