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Type: 
Journal
Description: 
3C-SiC is a promising material for low-voltage power electronic devices but its growth is still challenging. Heteroepitaxy of 3C-SiC on Si micrometer-sized pillars is regarded as a viable method to achieve high crystalline quality, minimizing the effects of lattice and thermal expansion mismatch. Three-dimensional micro-crystals with sharply-faceted profiles are obtained, eventually touching with each other to form a continuous layer, suspended on the underlying pillars. By comparing experimental data and simulation results obtained by a phase-field growth model, here we demonstrate that the evolution of the crystal morphology occurs in a kinetic regime, dominated by the different incorporation times on the crystal facets. These microscopic parameters, effective to characterize the out-of-equilibrium growth process, are estimated by a best-fitting procedure, matching simulation profiles to the experimental one at different deposition stages. Then, simulations are exploited to inspect the role of a different pillar geometry and template effects are recognized. Finally, coalescence of closely spaced crystals ordered into an hexagonal array is investigated. Two possible alignments of the pattern are compared and the most convenient arrangement is evaluated. View Full-Text
Publisher: 
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Publication date: 
1 Jan 2019
Authors: 

Marco Masullo, Roberto Bergamaschini, Marco Albani, Thomas Kreiliger, Marco Mauceri, Danilo Crippa, Francesco La Via, Francesco Montalenti, Hans von Känel, Leo Miglio

Biblio References: 
Volume: 12 Issue: 19 Pages: 3223
Origin: 
Materials