Oxidation of step edges on vicinal 4H-SiC(0001) surfaces

The oxidation processes of stepped SiC(0001) surfaces are studied within the ab initio atomistic thermodynamics approach. Our calculations show that a one-dimensional -Si-O- chain structure as a precursor for oxide growth on stepped SiC surfaces is formed along the step edge, promoting further oxidation of the step edges. Following the modified Deal-Grove oxidation model, we also find that the oxidation rate at steps is higher than that at terraces by three orders of magnitude. These findings give a reasonable explanation for the oxide thickness fluctuation between the step and the terrace observed in the previous experiments.