COVER Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) is an ideal material, especially for microelectronic and optical devices used in extreme conditions such as in high-temperature and space environments due to its excellent mechanical and optical properties. Accordingly, the realization of low-damage machining 3C-SiC components is critical to promote the mechanical stability and practical application of 3C-SiCbased devices. Systematic nano-scratch testing was conducted on the (001) plane of epitaxially grown 3C-SiC on silicon. A comparison was made with the [110] orientation, and the latter exhibited higher hardness. The testing revealed that along the [100] direction, the (001) plane was the most conducive to achieving plastic removal. This removal was accomplished through perfect dislocation slip, resulting in a higher material removal rate. This work provides insightful guidance for realizing high-efficiency and high surface integrity manufacturing of 3C-SiC crystals (see the article on page 4326).

COVER Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) is an ideal material, especially for microelectronic and optical devices used in extreme conditions such as in high-temperature and space environments due to its excellent mechanical and optical properties. Accordingly, the realization of low-damage machining 3C-SiC components is critical to promote the mechanical stability and practical application of 3C-SiCbased devices. Systematic nano-scratch testing was conducted on the (001) plane of epitaxially grown 3C-SiC on silicon. A comparison was made with the [110] orientation, and the latter exhibited higher hardness. The testing revealed that along the [100] direction, the (001) plane was the most conducive to achieving plastic removal. This removal was accomplished through perfect dislocation slip, resulting in a higher material removal rate. This work provides insightful guidance for realizing high-efficiency and high surface integrity manufacturing of 3C-SiC crystals (see the article on page 4326).