The Schottky barrier and interfacial chemistry for interfaces formed by evaporation of Sc onto 3C-SiC (111)-(1x1) surfaces at 600 8C has been investigated using in situ X-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and UPS) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). Sc was observed to grow in a two-dimensional manner and exhibit a (1x1) LEED pattern up to thicknesses of $2 nm beyond which diffraction patterns were no longer observable. XPS measurements of these same films showed a clear reaction of Sc with the 3C-SiC (111)-(1x1) surface to form a ScSi x and ScC x interfacial layer in addition to the formation of a metallic Sc film. XPS measurements also showed the deposition of Sc induced $0.5 eV of upward band bending resulting in a Schottky barrier of 0.65 AE 0.15 eV. More recently, Sc has garnered significant interest as an electrical contact metal [1], conductive dislocation reducing buffer layer [3,4], and alloying agent with aluminum nitride (AlN) and gallium nitride (GaN) for a variety of piezoelectronic [5][6][7], thermoelectric [8], ferroelectric [9], and optoelectronic applications [10][11][12]. This interest is primarily a result of the high solubility and close lattice matching of Sc with wurtzite structure AlN and GaN (a 0 ¼ 0.3111 and 0.3189 nm), high thermal stability, ductility, and relative ease of deposition [1]. Sc also exhibits reasonably close lattice matching to the (111)/(0001) basal plane of cubic and hexagonal silicon carbide (SiC, a 0 ¼ 0.308 nm). Therefore, Sc could also serve as a potential Ohmic or Schottky contact for high temperature, power, and frequency SiC based electronic devices and as a conductive buffer layer for GaN heteroepitaxy on SiC substrates. For these specific applications, the band alignment of Sc to SiC will play a significant