A lower temperature process for 3C-SiC (100) growth was investigated for use on compliant silicon substrates, including "universally compliant," SOI, and substrates patterned with nanostructures. The 3C-SiC (100) films improved as the film thickness increased due to the annihilation of defects in the [111] directions. This improvement due to thickness was greater than the effects due to the novel substrates.