Texture evolution in rhombohedral boron carbide films grown on 4H-SiC(0001) and 4H-SiC(0001) substrates by chemical vapor deposition

Boron carbide in its rhombohedral form (r-BxC), commonly denoted B4C or B13C2, is a well-known hard material, but it is also a potential semiconductor material. We deposited r-BxC by chemical vapor deposition between 1100 degrees C and 1500 degrees C from triethylboron in H-2 on 4H-SiC(0001) and 4H-SiC(0001). We show, using ToF-ERDA, that pure B4C was grown at 1300 degrees C, furthermore, using XRD that graphite forms above 1400 degrees C. The films deposited above 1300 degrees C on 4H-SiC(0001) were found to be epitaxial, with the epitaxial relationships B4C(0001)[1010]||4H-SiC(0001)[1010] obtained from pole figure measurements. In contrast, the films deposited on 4H-SiC(0001) were polycrystalline. We suggest that the difference in growth mode is explained by the difference in the ability of the different surfaces of 4H-SiC to act as carbon sources in the initial stages of the film growth.

Automated summary

This study successfully deposited pure B4C on silicon carbide substrates using chemical vapor deposition, and found that the different surfaces of the substrate have varying abilities to act as carbon sources, affecting the growth mode of the film.