Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
The results of photoemission studies of SiO2/SiC samples for the purpose of revealing presence of any carbon containing by-products at the interface are reported. Two components could be identified in recorded Si 2p and C ls core level spectra. For Si 2p these were identified to originate from SiO2 and SiC while for C ls they were interpreted to originate from graphite like carbon and SiC. The variation in relative intensity of these components with emission angle was first investigated. Thereafter the intensity of the different components were studied after successive Ar+-sputtering cycles. Both experiments showed contribution from graphite like carbon on top of the oxide but not at the interface.