The epitaxy of scandium nitride deposited by hydride vapor phase epitaxy on 6HSiC(
0001) substrates is reported. The structure and composition of the deposited films
were dependent on both the scandium metal source and substrate temperatures. At
substrate temperatures between 800 to 900 °C, the ScN exhibited a single (111)
orientation. At substrate temperatures of 1000 °C and above, the films were mixtures of
(100) and (111) orientations. Aluminum was detected by EDAX in the ScN films when
the scandium source temperature was greater than 900 °C, presumably due to the reaction
between scandium and the alumina reactor tube. Chlorine was detected in the films, and
its concentration increased as the scandium source temperature was decreased from 1000
°C to 800 °C.
