The vaporization behavior of SiC has been analyzed by high temperature mass spectrometry with single and multiple Knudsen effusion cells. The vaporization of SiC is kinetically hindered and can be described by evaporation coefficients. These coefficients have been determined for the four major gas species: Si-1(g), Si2C(g), SiC2(g) and Si-2(g) in the temperature range from 1700 degreesC to 2050 degreesC. Metallic Ta in contact with SiC reacts to TaC. The evaporation coefficients are slightly higher in the presence of Ta and the vaporization is less time dependent which could explain literature information on higher growth rates in the presence of Ta in the PVT process.