SiC growth on Si(111) from a C-60 precursor: a new experimental approach based on a hyperthermal supersonic beam

Silicon carbide (SiC) films are grown on Si(111) using as a precursor fullerene seeded in helium supersonic beams. The regime of energy and flux distributions, achievable by changing the beam parameters, is well suited to synthesizing SiC films under well ordered conditions, because of better control of the synthesis process and of the C-60 dissociative absorption. This is confirmed by the first experimental results and by morphological and structural characterization of the films produced. Further developments are briefly discussed.