Halide chemical vapor deposition emerges as a potent technique for growing silicon carbide epitaxial layers with a high deposition rate in the range of 50-300 mu m/h. Experimental studies suggest that the gas composition in the reactor has profound influence on the deposition rate, the quality, and the properties of the as-deposited films. In this study, a comprehensive model was developed for halide chemical vapor deposition process including gas dynamics, heat and mass transfer, gas phase and surface chemistry, and radio-frequency induction heating. Numerical simulations of the deposition process in a horizontal hot-wall reactor using silicon tetrachloride, propane, and hydrogen as precursors were performed over a wide range of operational parameters to quantify the effects of deposition temperature, precursor flow rate, and reactor configuration. Special attention was directed to the etching of silicon carbide films by hydrogen chloride and its impact on the film deposition rate at different processing conditions. Improved gas delivery method was proposed for controlling the formation of hydrogen chloride and the associated etching effect. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.