Spreading of Cu–Si alloys on oxidized SiC in vacuum: experimental results and modelling

Abstract The wetting behaviour of a Cu–40 at.% Si alloy, non-reactive with SiC, on oxidized (0001) faces of α-SiC single crystals is studied at temperatures close to the melting point of copper by the “dispensed drop” technique under high vacuum. The experiments focused on wetting kinetics to determine the mechanisms controlling the rate of spreading under conditions allowing for “in situ” deoxidation of silicon carbide. It is shown that spreading occurs in three stages: (i) an initial stage consisting of a rapid spreading of the alloy on the oxidized SiC up to a contact angle which is close to that on vitreous silica, (ii) a second stage with a zero spreading rate during which the alloy goes through the oxide layer by dissolution near the triple line allowing an intimate contact between the alloy and the SiC surface to be established, and (iii) a final stage during which the alloy spreads with a constant rate up to a contact angle equal to that of clean SiC. These results are interpreted on the basis of a dissolution–diffusion–evaporation process occurring in the vicinity of the solid–liquid–vapour triple line.