Early stages of growth of beta-SiC on Si by MBE

The early stages of growth of beta-SiC formed by carbonization in a MBE system at different substrate temperatures and flow rates were systematically studied by cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Fluctuations of the moire pattern reveal local strain variations at the beta-SiC/Si interface, suggesting that the various beta-SiC island nuclei, formed during the carbonization process, are not restricted to having a parallel epitaxy relative to the substrate. The roughness at the back side of the beta-SiC is attributed to the interdiffusion of the Si and C atoms during the carbonization process in order to form the beta-SiC. The formation of beta-SiC islands is related to the Si migration from the Si surface.