Localized epitaxial growth of hexagonal (6H) and cubic (3C) SiC films on Si by annealing the Si substrates at 700–850 °C in a vacuum of 1–2×10−6Torr is presented. The orientation relationships of epitaxial SiC films grown on (111)Si and (100)Si were (0001)6H‐SiC//(111)Si and [112¯0]6H‐SiC//[011¯]Si, (111)3C‐SiC//(111)Si and [1¯10]3C‐SiC//[1¯10]Si, and (100)3C‐SiC//(100)Si and [011]3C‐SiC//[011]Si, respectively. The amount of 6H‐SiC epitaxy was less than that of 3C‐SiC epitaxy. For the films grown at 750–850 °C for 0.5 h, the area fraction of SiC epitaxy ranged from 60% to 80% and the film thickness ranged from 0.02 to 0.15 &mgr;m. The main carbon source for the growth of SiC on Si during vacuum annealing was the carbon‐containing residue present at the chamber walls. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.