Epitaxy of nanocrystalline silicon carbide on Si(111) at room temperature

J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Oct 24;134(42):17400-3. doi: 10.1021/ja307804v. Epub 2012 Oct 15.

Abstract

Silicon carbide (SiC) has unique chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. A factor strongly limiting SiC-based technologies is the high-temperature synthesis. In this work, we provide unprecedented experimental and theoretical evidence of 3C-SiC epitaxy on silicon at room temperature by using a buckminsterfullerene (C(60)) supersonic beam. Chemical processes, such as C(60) rupture, are activated at a precursor kinetic energy of 30-35 eV, far from thermodynamic equilibrium. This result paves the way for SiC synthesis on polymers or plastics that cannot withstand high temperatures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbon Compounds, Inorganic / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Quantum Theory
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Silicon Compounds / chemistry*
  • Temperature*

Substances

  • Carbon Compounds, Inorganic
  • Silicon Compounds
  • silicon carbide
  • Silicon