Surface studies of epitaxial β-SiC on Si(100)

The surface properties of β-SiC epitaxial layers on Si (100) have been studied. As-grown layers showed submonolayer coverage of both O and excess C, with the former bonded as SiO. Suitably cleaned surfaces were C terminated with no observable excess C, and gave SiC 1×1 low-energy electron diffraction patterns. A well-defined structure was observed in the SiLVV and CKLL Auger spectra of clean, ordered surfaces. This structure was apparently characteristic of SiC bonding and was absent for disordered surfaces.