Study of the interaction of 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC(0001)Si surfaces with atomic nitrogen

The interaction of atomic nitrogen with 4H- and 6H-SiC(0001) Si-face surfaces is investigated. Clean and atomically smooth terraced surfaces obtained by in situ cleaning using atomic hydrogen have been exposed at 200 degreesC and 750 degreesC to atomic nitrogen produced by a rf remote N-2 plasma. Spectroscopic ellipsometry is used for real-time monitoring of the kinetics of SiC surface modifications, and determining the thickness and properties of the nitrided layer. Surface potential measurements reveal the band bending of the nitrided SiC surface. An improvement in the heteroepitaxy of GaN on the low-temperature nitrided SiC surface is found. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.