Selective area laser deposition of FCC beta silicon carbide

Silicon Carbide (SiC) has been deposited onto an alumina substrate by the thermal decomposition of the gaseous precursor tetramethylsilane (TMS). A 500 W ytterbium fibre laser was used to heat the surface of an alumina substrate locally, resulting in deposition of SiC at the sample surface. The SiC deposit was analysed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The deposit was confirmed to be silicon carbide and found to be face centre cubic (FCC) crystal structure. Raman spectroscopy was used to measure the stoichiometry of the deposit which initially was found to be carbon rich. Further analysis by Raman spectroscopy suggests the deposit may be more stoichiometric following a two hour thermal treatment of the sample at 600 degrees celcius in an atmosphere of air.