Ni, Ni2Si and Pd contacts were prepared on n-type 4H-SiC and annealed in the temperature range of 750-1150 degrees C. The annealed contacts were analyzed before and after acid etching, and different features were found in unetched and etched contacts. Carbon left on the SiC surface after the acid etching of Ni2Si contacts annealed at 960 degrees C was highly graphitized. In nickel contacts, the graphitization of interface carbon began at 960 degrees C and increased after annealing at higher temperatures. In palladium contacts, the onset of the interface carbon graphitization was observed after annealing at 1150 degrees C. For all three types of metallization, the minimal values of contact resistivity were achieved only when the sharp first-order peak at 1585 cm(-1) and distinct second-order peak at similar to 2700 cm(-1) related to the presence of graphitized carbon were detected by Raman spectroscopy after the acid etching of contacts. The properties of unannealed secondary contacts deposited onto etched primary contacts were similar to the properties of the primary contacts unless carbon was selectively etched. The results show that ohmic behavior of Ni-based and Pd contacts on n-type SiC originates from the formation of graphitic carbon at the interface with SiC. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.