Nucleation of 3C–SiC on 6H–SiC from a liquid phase

Abstract The aim of this work is to elucidate the mechanism involved in the 3C–SiC formation during growth by a vapor–liquid–solid mechanism on 6H–SiC substrate. Polytype selection is shown to occur at the first stage of the experiments, before propane injection into the reactor. The contact of the seed with a Si–Ge melt during the initial heating ramp causes the formation of 3C–SiC islands on the seed surface, probably below 1200 °C. The proposed mechanism first involves a partial dissolution of the seed in a Ge-rich liquid which becomes C-supersaturated. Then the Si content of the liquid rapidly increases, which provokes the precipitation of the dissolved carbon in the form of 3C–SiC islands. When growth starts upon propane injection, these islands enlarge and coalesce to form a continuous 3C–SiC layer. If the growth temperature is too high (⩾1550 °C), the initial 3C–SiC islands are dissolved and homoepitaxial layers are obtained.