In contrast to assumptions of an abrupt precipitation of an agglomerate of C$_{\text{i}}$ \cite{werner96,werner97,eichhorn99,lindner99_2,koegler03}, however, structural evolution is believed to occur by a successive occupation of usual Si lattice sites with substitutional C.
This mechanism satisfies the experimentally observed alignment of the \hkl(h k l) planes of the precipitate and the substrate, whereas there is no obvious reason for the topotactic orientation of an agglomerate consisting exclusively of C-Si dimers, which would necessarily involve a much more profound change in structure for the transition into SiC.
In contrast to assumptions of an abrupt precipitation of an agglomerate of C$_{\text{i}}$ \cite{werner96,werner97,eichhorn99,lindner99_2,koegler03}, however, structural evolution is believed to occur by a successive occupation of usual Si lattice sites with substitutional C.
This mechanism satisfies the experimentally observed alignment of the \hkl(h k l) planes of the precipitate and the substrate, whereas there is no obvious reason for the topotactic orientation of an agglomerate consisting exclusively of C-Si dimers, which would necessarily involve a much more profound change in structure for the transition into SiC.