Structure and Chemical Ordering in Amorphous Silicon Carbide Alloys

Simulations of amorphous silicon carbide alloys indicate that the amorphous network deviates from an ideal tetrahedral geometry due to the presence of threefold-coordinated carbon atoms. All samples exhibit a significant degree of chemical ordering, most of it arising from fourfold-coordinated carbon atoms. The results show that there is no phase separation and that hydrogenation might promote tetrahedral carbon coordination, as well as chemical ordering.