Preparation of oriented silicon carbide films by laser ablation of ceramic silicon carbide targets

Stoichiometric films of SiC, 60-150 nm thick, were deposited on [001] and [111] Si wafers by laser ablation of ceramic stoichiometric SiC targets. Films grown at substrate temperatures above 1050 °C show orientation epitaxial to the Si substrate along the film normal. Depending on the deposition conditions, the oriented crystallite dimension along this direction ranges from 20 nm up to the film thickness. The crystallite dimensions in the film plane range from 20 to 70 nm. Raman spectra indicate that the films often contain material other than crystalline SiC. Some of that is in the form of small (3-5 nm) graphitic inclusions.