Characterization of silicon carbide thin films grown on Si and SiO2 / Si substrates

Due to its outstanding electrical and mechanical properties, silicon carbide (SiC) is considered a leading semiconducting material for high temperature sensors. Since the piezoresistive effect in SiC is highly anisotropic and exhibits a dependence on the crystal orientation, the role of the substrate on the residual stress must be investigated. This paper presents the structural and morphological characterisation of polycrystalline 3C-SiC films using two-dimensional X-Ray Diffraction (XRD2) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) techniques. 3C-SiC thin films were grown on single crystalline Si and on SiO2/Si substrates under the same deposition conditions. The influence of the two substrates on the structural and microstructral properties of the films was investigated. By means of XRD2 technique, particular attention was devoted to the stress calculation and in particular to the stress release by the formation of extended defects.