Microstructural investigation of 3C-SiC islands grown by VLS mechanism on 6H-SiC substrate

Trying to understand how 3C-SiC polytype could nucleate on a 6H-SiC (0 0 0 1) surface from a liquid phase, the initial stage of the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth was studied. It was shown that, after a simple contact of the seed with the Ge50Si50 melt up to 1300 °C, without any propane addition, a high density of islands were formed on the seed surface. These islands are well defined, rather flat, elongated along the step edges of the substrate and separated from each other. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study showed that these islands were made of 3C-SiC in epitaxial relationship with the substrate. They, however, contain a high density of defects, which are mainly confined near the interface.