Nucleation of diamond in the channels of electrical breakdown in SiC films

✍ Scribed by Ibn-Charaa, M.; Jaouen, M.; Delafond, J.; Pranevicius, L.

• Book ID: 122056173
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 586 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0925-9635
• DOI: 10.1016/0925-9635(95)00394-0

✦ Synopsis

Experimental studies were performed on the nucleation of diamond crystals on the surface of dielectric SIC layers enriched by carbon during simultaneous carbon deposition and 20 keV H+ irradiation at 800 "C. The stochiometric SIC layer with thickness 10 nm was formed employing processes of dynamic and cascade mixing of deposited carbon with silicon substrate under 160 keV Xe+ irradiation at 800 "C. After deposition of a 20 nm carbon layer at room temperature onto irradiated Si-Sic-amorphous-C, well-shaped diamond crystals of size 7-10 pm were found, randomly distributed on the surface. A diamond nucleation mechanism in the channels of electrical breakdown in SIC is proposed. This is followed by coalescence of the nuclei formed on the surface into large crystals, activated by surface discharge currents.