Laser irradiation influence on Si/3C-SiC/Si heterostructures for subsequent 3C-SiC membrane elaboration

The cubic polytype of silicon carbide is a stimulating candidate for Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) applications due to its interesting physical and chemical properties. Recently, we demonstrated the possibility to elaborate 3C-SiC membranes on 3C-SiC pseudo-substrates, using a silicon epilayer grown by Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition as a sacrificial layer. Such structures could be the starting point for the elaboration of new MEMS devices. However, the roughness still represents a major concern. Therefore, in this contribution, we investigate the influence of an excimer laser irradiation on the Si epilayer surface prior to the 3C-SiC epilayer growth. We compare these results with the 3C-SiC epilayer grown directly on the as-grown Si epilayer.