DEVELOPMENT OF A SINGLE CRYSTAL TITANIUM CARBIDE GROWTH PROCESS

A RESEARCH PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP A GROWTH PROCESS FOR HIGH QUALITY TITANIUM CARBIDE SINGLE CRYSTALS FOR USE AS SUBSTRATES FOR THE DEPOSITION OF SILICON CARBIDE THIN FILMS. HIGH PURITY TIC WILL BE PRODUCED BY THE SELF-PROPAGATING HIGH TEMPERATURE SYNTHESIS SINCE FEED STOCK OF ADEQUATE PURITY IS NOT COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE. THE FLOAT ZONE TECHNIQUE WITH ZONE LEVELING TO MAINTAIN UNIFORM COMPOSITION WILL BE USED. A HIGH PRESSURE CRYSTAL GROWTH CHAMBER WILL BE USED TO MINIMIZE EVAPORATION DURING GROWTH. THE TIC CRYSTALS THAT ARE GROWN WILL BE CHARACTERIZED AND CRYSTAL PERFECTION DETERMINED BY ROCKING CURVES OBTAINED WITH A PRECISION DOUBLE CRYSTAL X-RAY SPECTROMETER. ATTEMPTS WILL BE MADE TO ADJUST THE TIC CRYSTAL COMPOSITION SO THAT ITS LATTICE CONSTANT CLOSELY MATCHES THAT OF SIC. REPRESENTATIVE TIC CRYSTALS WILL BE WAFERED, POLISHED AND CHARACTERIZED AND DELIVERED TO THE SPONSORING AGENCY.