PNNL

Abstract

A single-crystal 3C-SiC film on the Si/SiO2/Si (SIMOX) substrate was irradiated in different areas at 156 K with Au2+ ions to low fluences. The disorder profiles as a function of dose on both the Si and C sublattices have been determined in situ using a combination of 0.94 MeV D+ Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis in channeling geometry along the , and axes. The results indicate that for the same damage state, the level of disorder on the Si sublattice in 3C-SiC follows a decreasing order along the , and axes, while that on the C sublattice shows comparable values. Similar levels of Si and C disorder are observed along the axis over the applied dose range. However, the level of C disorder is higher than that of Si disorder along either or . The amount of disorder recovery during thermal annealing processes depends on the sublattice (Si or C) and crystallographic orientation. Room-temperature recovery occurs for both sublattices in 3C-SiC irradiated to a dose of 0.047 dpa or lower. Significant recovery is observed along all directions during thermal annealing at 600 K. The results will be discussed and compared to those for 6H- and 4H-SiC under similar irradiation conditions.