Interfacial reaction study of thermally annealed Ti film on 4H-SiC by soft X-ray emission spectroscopy

The interfacial reaction between Ti film and 4H-SiC after high thermal annealing (1000°C, 5 min) was investigated by soft X-ray emission spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. After in situ resistive heating of 1000°C for 5 min, a change in the valence band density of states (VB-DOS) was observed which suggests formation of a reacted interfacial region. The Si L2,3 and C K emission spectra of Ti/4H-SiC sample were observed to be composed of emissions from 4H-SiC and the formed silicide- and carbide-like material. The formed silicide- and carbide-like material may be attributed to the combination of Ti5Si3, TixSi1−x, TiC1−x, and a possible TiSi1−xCx as the carbon atoms in the titanium carbide-like state were observed throughout the reacted region.