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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Defect accumulation in silicon carbide has been simulated by molecular dynamics using a Brenner-type potential connected smoothly to the Ziegler-Biersack-Littmark potential. Displacement damage in 3C-SiC, which is known to consist of point defects, vacancy and interstitial clusters and anti-site defects, was modelled by introducing random displacements on the Si or C sublattice. SiC was amorphized by Si displacements at a damage level corresponding to 0.15 displacements per atom (dpa) and by C displacements at 0.25 dpa. In both cases, the damage consists of Si and C Frenkel pairs as well as anti-site defects. The results provide evidence that SiC can be amorphized by displacing C atoms exclusively and suggest that short-range disorder provides the driving force for amorphization of SiC.