Substrates for the growth of 3C-silicon carbide

Monocrystalline .beta.-SiC suitable for semiconductor applications, the .beta.-SiC being made according the process comprising:

• providing a body of monocrystalline hexagonal material having a planar surface with a lattice parameter that is within .+-.5% of the lattice parameter of 6H.alpha.-SiC in the basal plane;
• growing a monocrystalline layer of a cubic material on the surface of the body to provide a planar cubic material surface, the cubic material having a rock salt structure and a lattice parameter within .+-.5% of the lattice parameter of .beta.-SiC;
• and
• nucleating and growing monocrystalline .beta.-SiC on the cubic material surface.

A body of monocrystalline .beta.-SiC that has a surface with a diameter of at least 1.0 cm and that is suitable for semiconductor applications, the .beta.-SiC being made according to the process comprising:

• providing a body of monocrystalline hexagonal material having a planar surface with a lattice parameter that is within .+-.5% of the lattice parameter of 6H.alpha.-SiC in the basal plane;
• epitaxially depositing a layer of monocrystalline cubic material on the surface of the body to provide a planar cubic material surface, the cubic material having a rock salt structure and a lattice parameter within .+-.5% of the lattice parameter of .beta.-SiC, the layer having a thickness of at least 50 .ANG. and being sufficiently thin that any strain imparted to an epitaxial layer of .beta.-SiC grown on the TiC is insufficient to generate microtwins in the .beta.-SiC;
• and
• nucleating and growing a layer of monocrystalline .beta.-SiC on the cubic material surface.

A body of monocrystalline .beta.-SiC that has a surface with a diameter of at least 1.0 cm and that is suitable for semiconductor applications, the .beta.-SiC being made according to the process comprising:

• providing a body of monocrystalline 6H.alpha.-SiC having a planar surface;
• epitaxially depositing a layer of monocrystalline TiC on the surface of the body to provide a planar TiC surface, the layer having a thickness of at least 50 .ANG. and being sufficiently thin that any strain imparted to an epitaxial layer of .beta.-SiC grown on the TiC is insufficient to generate microtwins in the .beta.-SiC;
• and
• nucleating and growing a layer of monocrystalline .beta.-SiC on the TiC surface.