Thermally Activated Reactions of Titanium Thin Films with (100) 3C-SiC Substrates

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe reaction of thin Ti films deposited, in situ, onto (100) 3C-SiC has been studied by Auger Electron Spectroscopy, and Low Energy Electron Diffraction. The effects of reaction temperature and SiC surface condition were investigated as part of a program to obtain a high temperature electrical contact for this wide band gap semiconductor.The results indicate that the interface reaction is dominated by the formation of TiC in SiC, and the liberation of Si which diffuses to the surface. The amount of liberated Si depended on the relative amounts of free surface C and of deposited Ti. In the presence of excess carbon, the reaction of Ti with SiC was suppressed and a (TiC + C) surface layer formed which was stable after 500 hours at 800°C.