SiC film growth on Si(111) by supersonic beams of C60

The development of electronic devices based on Silicon Carbide (SiC) has been strongly limited by the difficulties in growing high quality crystalline bulk materials and films. We have recently elaborated a new technique for the synthesis of SiC on clean Si substrates by means of supersonic beams of C60: the electronic and structural properties of the film can be controlled by monitoring the beam parameters, i.e. flux and particles energy and aggregation state. SiC films were grown in Ultra High Vacuum on Si(111)-7×7, at substrates temperatures of 800°C, using two different supersonic beams of C60: He and H2 have been used as seeding gases, leading to particles energy of 5 eV and 20 eV, respectively. Surface characterisation was done in situ by Auger and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as by low energy electron diffraction and ex situ by atomic force microscopy technique. SiC films exhibited good structural and electronic properties, with presence of defects different from the typical triangular voids.