Abstract
Thermal and anodic oxide films of beta silicon carbide are analyzed using Auger electron spectroscopy. Auger depth-composition profiles are obtained in order to determine the chemical composition of the oxide films. The position and shape of silicon spectral peaks are used to estimate the chemical bonding of the oxide constituents. It is found that the wet thermal oxide is almost stoichiometric but contains about 14% carbon. Dry oxide, on the other hand, has less than 3% carbon but is highly nonstoichiometric. The carbon content in the anodic oxide is 12%. Anodic oxide films, like dry-oxide films, are nonstoichiometric. A model of the SiC oxidation process is presented.
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Chaudhry, M.I. A study of native oxides of β–SiC using Auger electron spectroscopy. Journal of Materials Research 4, 404–407 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1989.0404
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1989.0404