Deposition of polycrystalline beta-SiC films on Si substrates at room temperature

Polycrystalline beta-SiC, with grain size up to 1500 Angstrom, has been room-temperature-deposited on Si substrates by electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition. Microwave power and the hydrogen carrier gas are the key parameters to lower the deposition temperature. According to the results of the cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, the grain size appeared to be in the same scale as that deposited at 500 degrees C while a large amount of plasma-induced defects were observed in the Si substrate for the room-temperature-deposited samples. Hence, a CH4-plasma treatment prior to the beta-SiC film growth was adopted, forming a SiC-like interfacial layer to suppress the substrate damages. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.