4H-SiC homoepitaxial films were grown on 8degrees off-axis porous 4H-SiC (0001) faces in the temperature range of 1280-1510degrees C by chemical vapor deposition from bis(trimethylsilyl)methane (BTMSM) precursor. The activation energy for growth was 5.6 kcal/mol, indicating that the film growth is dominated by the diffusion-limited mechanism. Triangular stacking faults were incorporated in the SiC thin film grown at low temperature of 1280degreesC due to the formation of 3C-SiC polytype. Moreover, super-screw dislocations appeared seriously in the SiC film grown below 1320degreesC. Clean and featureless morphology was observed in the SiC film grown below 25 standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm) H-2 carrier gas flow rate of BTMSM at 1380degreesC while 3C-SiC polytype with double positioning boundaries grew at 30 sccm flow rate of BTMSM. The dislocation density of the epi layer was strongly influenced by the growth temperature and flow rate of BTMSM. Double axis crystal X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy analysis revealed that the dislocation density decreased at the higher growth temperature and lower flow rate of BTMSM. The full width at half maximum of the rocking curve of the film grown at optimized condition was 7.6 arcsec and the sharp free exciton and Al bound exciton lines appear in the epi layer, which indicates that the 4H-SiC film was of very high quality. (C) 2003 The Electrochemical Society.