The defects in $3C\text{−}\mathrm{Si}\mathrm{C}$ film grown on (001) plane of Si substrate were studied using a $200\mathrm{kV}$ high-resolution electron microscope with point resolution of $0.2\mathrm{nm}$. A posterior image processing technique, the image deconvolution, was utilized in combination with the image contrast analysis to distinguish atoms of Si from C distant from each other by $0.109\mathrm{nm}$ in the [110] projected image. The principle of the image processing technique utilized and the related image contrast theory is briefly presented. The procedures of transforming an experimental image that does not reflect the crystal structure intuitively into the structure map and of identifying Si and C atoms from the map are described. The atomic configurations for a 30° partial dislocation and a microtwin have been derived at atomic level. It has been determined that the 30° partial dislocation terminates in C atom and the segment of microtwin is sandwiched between two 180° rotation twins. The corresponding stacking sequences are derived and atomic models are constructed according to the restored structure maps for both the 30° partial dislocation and microtwin. Images were simulated based on the two models to affirm the above-mentioned results.

• Received 20 November 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.75.184103