Carbon nanocluster growth inside micropipes during the SiC bulk growth process

Carbon nanocluster growth inside micropipes has been discovered during the SiC bulk growth process under near-equilibrium conditions. Measurements have been made of the morphology and structure of the carbon crystallites. An isobaric cross-section of the Si–C phase diagram and an isothermal cross-section of the triple Si–C–Ar system have been built. The C-cluster nucleation and growth conditions have been analyzed using a phase diagram.