Si desorption from a ß-SiC(001) surface by an oxygen flux

Silicon desorption from a cubic SiC(001) surface was investigated with an oxygen gas reaction on the surface. Desorption of the topmost Si layer from a silicon-saturated surface at 1050°C is demonstrated by exposure to oxygen. The resultant carbon-terminated surface, however, gave no change in the atomic configuration with oxygen exposure, that is, oxygen acts as an atomic layer etchant not for the carbon toplayer but only for the silicon toplayer.