Formation of quasi-single-domain 3C-SiC on nominally on-axis Si(001) substrate using organosilane buffer layer

Quasi-single-domain 3C-SiC films have been successfully grown on nominally on-axis Si(001) substrate. The starting surface is either of 2x1 quasi-single-domain or of 2x1+1x2 double-domain. The point here is to use dc-resistive heating of the substrate and to form a low-temperature (650 degreesC) interfacial buffer layer using monomethylsilane (H-3 C-SiH3). The dc resistive heating serves to form a single-domain Si(001)-2x1 or 1x2 starting surface or to develop a single-domain 3C-SiC(001)-2x3 or 3x2 surface on a 2x1+1x2 double-domain Si(001) substrate. When a single-domain Si(001) starting surface is utilized, it is not the dc polarity during growth but the surface reconstruction of the starting surface that determines the dominant domain in the 3C-SiC film. The thickness of the single-domain 3C-SiC film is as thin as similar to45-200 nm, which is about three orders of magnitude smaller than that required in a previous study (>5 mum). (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.