Kinetic Monte Carlo method for epitaxial 3C-SiC (0001) growth on vicinal surfaces

A kinetic Monte Carlo model has been developed to predict island nucleation and step flow growth on vicinal surface during epitaxial growth of 3C-SiC. In the model, the crystal lattice is represented by a structured mesh which retains fixed atom positions and bond partners of the 3C-SiC crystal lattice. The events considered in the model are the deposition, evaporation and diffusion of atoms, and the attachment and detachment of adsorbed atoms. Both the incorporation energy barrier and Ehrlich-Schwoebel (ES) barrier are taken into account in the model when an adatom migrates to a step or island. The growth parameters such as growth temperature, coverages and terrace width can be selected freely, and the cross process of step flow growth and island nucleation can be simulated. The simulation results show that lower growth temperatures lead to a larger number of islands forming on the vicinal surfaces. There is also an observed coupling between island nucleation and steps at higher temperature. For smaller coverages, the islands and step patterns grow independently, and the steps and islands begin eventually to coalesce over the time. Furthermore, a decrease in terrace width leads to adatoms preferentially attaching to steps and the system to go to a step flow growth system. The results are consistent with predictions for the case of the epitaxial growth on vicinal surfaces.

Automated summary

A kinetic Monte Carlo model was developed to predict island nucleation and step flow growth during epitaxial growth of 3C-SiC. Events considered in the model include deposition, evaporation, diffusion of atoms, and attachment/detachment of adsorbed atoms. The results show a coupling between island nucleation and steps at higher temperature, while lower growth temperatures lead to a larger number of islands forming on vicinal surfaces.