Growth of silicon carbide on Si(100) substrate with an intermediate aluminum nitride layer by ultralow-pressure chemical vapor deposition using monomethylsilane

• 3C–SiC(111) films are grown on AlN(0001)/Si(100) substrates.
• The growth rates of 3C–SiC(111) films on AlN/Si are higher than those of 3C–SiC(100) films on Si.
• Formation of an AlN layer on Si is very effective in preventing Si outdiffusion during SiC growth.
• The crystallinity and surface morphology of SiC films are improved by insertion of an AlN layer.

We have epitaxially grown silicon carbide (SiC) films on an aluminum nitride (AlN) layer on Si(100) substrate by ultralow-pressure chemical vapor deposition using monomethylsilane (CH3SiH3), and investigated the crystallinity and surface morphology of the grown films. Wurtzite AlN(0001) layers were formed on Si(100) substrate by pulsed laser deposition using an AlN target and a N2 gas, and then 3C–SiC(111) films were grown on the AlN layers. The growth rates of the 3C–SiC(111) films on the AlN layers were higher than those of 3C–SiC(100) films on the Si substrate. In the case of the SiC growth on the Si substrate, Si outdiffusion from the Si substrate occurred, leading to the formation of voids at the SiC/Si interface. It was found that the formation of the AlN intermediate layer was very effective in preventing the Si outdiffusion during the SiC growth. Concurrently, the crystallinity and surface morphology of the SiC films on the AlN layers were improved by insertion of the AlN layer.