Microtwin reduction in 3C-SiC heteroepitaxy

In this letter, we have studied the density of microtwins in the vicinity of the film surface, by using in-plane grazing incidence diffraction technique, to suggest a reduction trend of such defects at different growth rates. In (100) 3C-SiC heteroepitaxy, microtwin density decreases when a slower growth rate process is performed. A reduction ratio of microtwins of 0.16, 0.2, and 0.28 for 2 mu m/h, 5 mu m/h, and 10 mu m/h, respectively, has been obtained. The relationship between microtwin density and growth rate, or Si/H(2) ratio, found with this technique is in perfect agreement with the pre-existent literature. (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3514559]