title: Epitaxial silicon oxynitride layer on a 6H-SiC(0001) surface.
abstract: Hydrogen-gas etching of a 6H-SiC(0001) surface and subsequent annealing in nitrogen atmosphere leads to the formation of a silicon oxynitride (SiON) epitaxial layer. A quantitative low-energy electron diffraction analysis revealed that the SiON layer has a hetero-double-layer structure: a silicate monolayer on a silicon nitride monolayer via Si-O-Si bridge bonds. There are no dangling bonds in the unit cell, which explains the fact that the structure is robust against air exposure. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy measured on the SiON layer shows a bulk SiO2-like band gap of approximately 9 eV. Great potential of this new epitaxial layer for device applications is described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuroh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirasawa
authors.forename: Kenjiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Seigi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mizuno
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Kan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakatsuji
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Komori
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tochihara