Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) was used to assess the removal of overlayer material from 4H-SiC (0001) and (0001) [Si- and C-face] surfaces in real time and, in particular, the critical final step of an otherwise standard RCA cleaning regimen commonly used to prepare SiC surfaces for contact formation. The treatments selected [buffered hydrofluoric acid (HF), concentrated HF, and dilute HF] removed 4-40 Angstrom of effective SiO2 overlayer thickness from these surfaces. The concentrated HF treatment yielded the best surface, i.e. that with the most abrupt transition region between bulk and surface and with the most oxide material removed. A fourth treatment regimen (sequential application of methanol, water, and 5% HF in methanol) was also developed for comparison with the full RCA clean. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.