Characterization of V-shaped defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers

Zhang, Lihua; Su, Dong; Kisslinger, Kim; Stach, Eric; Chung, Gil; Zhang, Jie; Thomas, Bernd; Sanchez, Edward K; Mueller, Stephan G.; Hansen, Darren; Loboda, Mark J.; Wu, Fangzhen; Wang, Huanhuan; Raghothamachar, Balaji; Dudley, Michael

doi:10.1007/s11664-014-3536-0

Title: Characterization of V-shaped defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers

Abstract

Synchrotron white beam x-ray topography images show that faint needle-like surface morphological features observed on the Si-face of 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers using Nomarski optical microscopy are associated with V shaped stacking faults in the epilayer. KOH etching of the V shaped defect reveals small oval pits connected by a shallow line which corresponding to the surface intersections of two partial dislocations and the stacking fault connecting them. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens from regions containing the V shaped defects were prepared using focused ion beam milling, and stacking sequences of (85), (50) and (63) are observed at the faulted region with high resolution TEM. In order to study the formation mechanism of V shaped defect, low dislocation density 4H-SiC substrates were chosen for epitaxial growth, and the corresponding regions before and after epitaxy growth are compared in SWBXT images. It is found that no defects in the substrate are directly associated with the formation of the V shaped defect. Simulation results of the contrast from the two partial dislocations associated with V shaped defect in synchrotron monochromatic beam x-ray topography reveals the opposite sign nature of their Burgers vectors. Therefore, a mechanism of 2D nucleation during epitaxy growth is postulatedmore »« less

Authors:

Zhang, Lihua ^[1]; Su, Dong ^[1]; Kisslinger, Kim ^[1]; Stach, Eric ^[1]; Chung, Gil ^[2]; Zhang, Jie ^[2]; Thomas, Bernd ^[2]; Sanchez, Edward K ^[2]; Mueller, Stephan G. ^[2]; Hansen, Darren ^[2]; Loboda, Mark J. ^[2]; Wu, Fangzhen ^[3]; Wang, Huanhuan ^[3]; Raghothamachar, Balaji ^[3]; Dudley, Michael ^[3]

Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Dow Corning Compound Semiconductor Solutions, Midland, MI (United States)
Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States)

Publication Date:: Thu Dec 04 00:00:00 EST 2014

Research Org.:: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

OSTI Identifier:: 1188243

Report Number(s):: BNL-108027-2015-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 0361-5235; KC0403020

Grant/Contract Number:: SC00112704

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Electronic Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 44; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 0361-5235

Publisher:: Springer

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; functional nanomaterials; CVD; epitaxial growth; stacking fault; defects; x-ray topography; HRTEM

Citation Formats


                    Zhang, Lihua, Su, Dong, Kisslinger, Kim, Stach, Eric, Chung, Gil, Zhang, Jie, Thomas, Bernd, Sanchez, Edward K, Mueller, Stephan G., Hansen, Darren, Loboda, Mark J., Wu, Fangzhen, Wang, Huanhuan, Raghothamachar, Balaji, and Dudley, Michael. Characterization of V-shaped defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers.  United States: N. p., 2014. 
Web.  doi:10.1007/s11664-014-3536-0.

Copy to clipboard


                    Zhang, Lihua, Su, Dong, Kisslinger, Kim, Stach, Eric, Chung, Gil, Zhang, Jie, Thomas, Bernd, Sanchez, Edward K, Mueller, Stephan G., Hansen, Darren, Loboda, Mark J., Wu, Fangzhen, Wang, Huanhuan, Raghothamachar, Balaji, & Dudley, Michael. Characterization of V-shaped defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-014-3536-0

Copy to clipboard


                    Zhang, Lihua, Su, Dong, Kisslinger, Kim, Stach, Eric, Chung, Gil, Zhang, Jie, Thomas, Bernd, Sanchez, Edward K, Mueller, Stephan G., Hansen, Darren, Loboda, Mark J., Wu, Fangzhen, Wang, Huanhuan, Raghothamachar, Balaji, and Dudley, Michael. Thu .  
"Characterization of V-shaped defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-014-3536-0.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1188243.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_1188243,

  title        = {Characterization of V-shaped defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers},

  author       = {Zhang, Lihua and Su, Dong and Kisslinger, Kim and Stach, Eric and Chung, Gil and Zhang, Jie and Thomas, Bernd and Sanchez, Edward K and Mueller, Stephan G. and Hansen, Darren and Loboda, Mark J. and Wu, Fangzhen and Wang, Huanhuan and Raghothamachar, Balaji and Dudley, Michael},

  abstractNote = {Synchrotron white beam x-ray topography images show that faint needle-like surface morphological features observed on the Si-face of 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers using Nomarski optical microscopy are associated with V shaped stacking faults in the epilayer. KOH etching of the V shaped defect reveals small oval pits connected by a shallow line which corresponding to the surface intersections of two partial dislocations and the stacking fault connecting them. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens from regions containing the V shaped defects were prepared using focused ion beam milling, and stacking sequences of (85), (50) and (63) are observed at the faulted region with high resolution TEM. In order to study the formation mechanism of V shaped defect, low dislocation density 4H-SiC substrates were chosen for epitaxial growth, and the corresponding regions before and after epitaxy growth are compared in SWBXT images. It is found that no defects in the substrate are directly associated with the formation of the V shaped defect. Simulation results of the contrast from the two partial dislocations associated with V shaped defect in synchrotron monochromatic beam x-ray topography reveals the opposite sign nature of their Burgers vectors. Therefore, a mechanism of 2D nucleation during epitaxy growth is postulated for the formation of the V shaped defect, which requires elimination of non-sequential 1/4[0001] bilayers from the original structure to create the observed faulted stacking sequence.},

  doi          = {10.1007/s11664-014-3536-0},

  journal      = {Journal of Electronic Materials},

  number       = 5,

  volume       = 44,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Thu Dec 04 00:00:00 EST 2014},

  month        = {Thu Dec 04 00:00:00 EST 2014}

}

Copy to clipboard

Journal Article:

Free Publicly Available Full Text

Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Publisher's Version of Record

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-014-3536-0

Other availability

Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal

Citation Metrics:

Cited by: 3 works

Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Works referenced in this record:

Commercial impact of silicon carbide
journal, September 2008

Singh, Ranbir; Pecht, Michael
IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine, Vol. 2, Issue 3
DOI: 10.1109/MIE.2008.928617

Progress in Large-Area 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layer Growth in a Warm-Wall Planetary Reactor
journal, February 2014

Thomas, Bernd; Hansen, Darren M.; Zhang, Jie
Materials Science Forum, Vol. 778-780
DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.778-780.103

Volume production of high quality SiC substrates and epitaxial layers: Defect trends and device applications
journal, August 2012

Müller, St. G.; Sanchez, E. K.; Hansen, D. M.
Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 352, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2011.10.050

Structure of recombination-induced stacking faults in high-voltage SiC p–n junctions
journal, February 2002

Liu, J. Q.; Skowronski, M.; Hallin, C.
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 80, Issue 5
DOI: 10.1063/1.1446212

Mechanism of eliminating basal plane dislocations in SiC thin films by epitaxy on an etched substrate
journal, August 2006

Zhang, Z.; Moulton, E.; Sudarshan, T. S.
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 89, Issue 8
DOI: 10.1063/1.2337874

Basal plane dislocation reduction for 8° off-cut, 4H-SiC using in situ variable temperature growth interruptions
journal, July 2008

VanMil, B. L.; Stahlbush, R. E.; Myers-Ward, R. L.
Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena, Vol. 26, Issue 4
DOI: 10.1116/1.2918317

Improved morphology for epitaxial growth on 4° off-axis 4H-SiC substrates
journal, June 2009

Leone, S.; Pedersen, H.; Henry, A.
Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 311, Issue 12
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2009.03.037

Investigations of 3C-SiC inclusions in 4H-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC single crystal substrates
journal, March 1997

Si, Weimin; Dudley, Michael; Shuang Kong, Hua
Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol. 26, Issue 3
DOI: 10.1007/s11664-997-0142-4

Fast Generation-Recombination Channels due to Epitaxial Defects in SiC Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Devices
journal, February 1998

Konstantinov, Andrey O.; Wahab, Qamar-ul; Hallin, Christer
Materials Science Forum, Vol. 264-268
DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.264-268.1025

Polytype Inclusions and Triangular Stacking Faults in 4H-SiC Layers Grown by Sublimation Epitaxy
journal, January 1999

Syv?j?rvi, M.; Yakimova, R.; Henry, A.
Physica Scripta, Vol. T79, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1238/Physica.Topical.079a00064

Carrot Defect Control in Chloride-Based CVD through Optimized Ramp up Conditions
journal, May 2012

Yazdanfar, Milan; Leone, Stefano; Pedersen, Henrik
Materials Science Forum, Vol. 717-720
DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.717-720.109

Structure of the carrot defect in 4H-SiC epitaxial layers
journal, January 2005

Benamara, M.; Zhang, X.; Skowronski, M.
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 86, Issue 2
DOI: 10.1063/1.1849416

Formation of extended defects in 4H-SiC epitaxial growth and development of a fast growth technique: Formation of extended defects in 4H-SiC epitaxial growth
journal, June 2009

Tsuchida, Hidekazu; Ito, Masahiko; Kamata, Isaho
physica status solidi (b), Vol. 246, Issue 7
DOI: 10.1002/pssb.200945056

Analysis of Dislocation Behavior in Low Dislocation Density, PVT-Grown, Four-Inch Silicon Carbide Single Crystals
journal, January 2010

Dudley, Michael; Byrappa, Shayan; Wang, Huanhuan
MRS Proceedings, Vol. 1246
DOI: 10.1557/PROC-1246-B02-02

Formation Mechanism of Stacking Faults in PVT 4H-SiC Created by Deflection of Threading Dislocations with Burgers Vector c+a
journal, March 2011

Dudley, Michael; Wang, Huan Huan; Wu, Fang Zhen
Materials Science Forum, Vol. 679-680
DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.679-680.269

Stacking faults created by the combined deflection of threading dislocations of Burgers vector c and c+a during the physical vapor transport growth of 4H–SiC
journal, June 2011

Dudley, M.; Wu, F.; Wang, H.
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 98, Issue 23
DOI: 10.1063/1.3597226

Direct Observation of Stacking Fault Nucleation from Deflected Threading Dislocations with Burgers Vector c+a in PVT Grown 4H-SiC
journal, January 2014

Wu, Fangzhen; Wang, Huanhuan; Raghothamachar, Balaji
MRS Proceedings, Vol. 1693
DOI: 10.1557/opl.2014.564

Similar Records in DOE PAGES and OSTI.GOV collections:

Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography, Transmission Electron Microscopy and High Resolution X-ray Diffraction Studies of Defects and Strain Relaxation Processes in Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Crystals and Thin Films

Journal Article Dudley, M ; Bai, J ; Huang, X ; ... - Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing

A review is presented of recent research into imaging on different length scales of defect structures in wide band gap semiconductors. This includes: synchrotron white beam X-ray topography (SWBXT) imaging of defects in SiC wafers and epilayers; high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies of strain relaxation in AlN and GaN epilayers on on-axis and vicinal SiC and sapphire substrates; TEM studies of fault structures in GaN/AlN films on SiC substrates; and TEM studies of threading dislocation density reduction driven by growth mode modification in AlN films grown on sapphire substrates. In detail, studies of closed-coremore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2006.01.026
Investigations of 3C-SiC inclusions in 4H-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC single crystal substrates

Journal Article Si, W ; Dudley, M ; Kong, H S ; ... - Journal of Electronic Materials

Synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) and Nomarski optical microscopy (NOM) have been used to characterize 4H-SiC epilayers and to study the character of triangular inclusions therein. 4H-SiC substrates misoriented by a range of angles from (0001), as well as (1 1{bar 0}0) and (11 2{bar 0}) oriented substrates were used. No evidence was found for the nucleation of 3C-SiC inclusions at superscrew dislocations (along the [0001] axis) in the 4H-SiC substrates. Increasing the off-axis angle of the substrates from 3.5 to 6.5{degree} was found to greatly suppress the formation of the triangular inclusions. In the case of substrates misorientedmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-997-0142-4
Optoelectronic and structural characterization of trapezoidal defects in 4H-SiC epilayers and the effect on MOSFET reliability

Journal Article El Hageali, Sami A. ; Guthrey, Harvey ; Johnston, Steven ; ... - Journal of Applied Physics

To this day, trapezoidal defects are found in clusters and high counts in wafers representing the industry standard in terms of material quality being produced. This study sheds light on the nature, origin, behavior, and impact of this defect on device yield and reliability. Trapezoidal defects in 4H-SiC epitaxial layers were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) imaging, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cathodoluminescence spectrum imaging (CLSI), SEM electron beam induced current (EBIC) imaging, and by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation. The bar-shaped stacking faults were identified by the PL and CL measurements with a peak emission wavelength of 420 and 450 nm.more »« less
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0153103

Full Text Available
High-quality nonpolar 4H-AlN grown on 4H-SiC (1120) substrate by molecular-beam epitaxy

Journal Article Horita, Masahiro ; Suda, Jun ; Kimoto, Tsunenobu - Applied Physics Letters

Growth of very high-quality nonpolar (1120) a-plane face 4H-AlN on 4H-SiC (1120) substrate was investigated. Nonpolar 4H-AlN (1120) was isopolytypically grown on 4H-SiC (1120) substrate by molecular-beam epitaxy. A reduction of defects such as stacking faults and threading dislocations was achieved by keeping the growing surface flat. To this end, the SiC substrate was HCl gas etched and the V/III ratio was optimized for AlN growth. A full width at half maximum of symmetrical x-ray diffraction {omega} scan of the 4H-AlN layer was 40 arc sec. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the stacking fault density to be 2x10{sup 5} cm{sup -1},more »« less
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2352713
Synchrotron X-ray topographic study on nature of threading mixed dislocations in 4H–SiC crystals grown by PVT method

Journal Article Guo, Jianqiu ; Yang, Yu ; Wu, Fangzhen ; ... - Journal of Crystal Growth

Synchrotron X-ray Topography is a powerful technique to study defects structures particularly dislocation configurations in single crystals. Complementing this technique with geometrical and contrast analysis can enhance the efficiency of quantitatively characterizing defects. In this study, the use of Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography (SWBXT) to determine the line directions of threading dislocations in 4H–SiC axial slices (sample cut parallel to the growth axis from the boule) is demonstrated. This technique is based on the fact that the projected line directions of dislocations on different reflections are different. Another technique also discussed is the determination of the absolute Burgers vectorsmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2015.12.028

Similar Records

Title: Characterization of V-shaped defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers

Abstract

Citation Formats

Commercial impact of silicon carbide journal, September 2008

Progress in Large-Area 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layer Growth in a Warm-Wall Planetary Reactor journal, February 2014

Volume production of high quality SiC substrates and epitaxial layers: Defect trends and device applications journal, August 2012

Structure of recombination-induced stacking faults in high-voltage SiC p–n junctions journal, February 2002

Mechanism of eliminating basal plane dislocations in SiC thin films by epitaxy on an etched substrate journal, August 2006

Basal plane dislocation reduction for 8° off-cut, 4H-SiC using in situ variable temperature growth interruptions journal, July 2008

Improved morphology for epitaxial growth on 4° off-axis 4H-SiC substrates journal, June 2009

Investigations of 3C-SiC inclusions in 4H-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC single crystal substrates journal, March 1997

Fast Generation-Recombination Channels due to Epitaxial Defects in SiC Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Devices journal, February 1998

Polytype Inclusions and Triangular Stacking Faults in 4H-SiC Layers Grown by Sublimation Epitaxy journal, January 1999

Carrot Defect Control in Chloride-Based CVD through Optimized Ramp up Conditions journal, May 2012

Structure of the carrot defect in 4H-SiC epitaxial layers journal, January 2005

Formation of extended defects in 4H-SiC epitaxial growth and development of a fast growth technique: Formation of extended defects in 4H-SiC epitaxial growth journal, June 2009

Analysis of Dislocation Behavior in Low Dislocation Density, PVT-Grown, Four-Inch Silicon Carbide Single Crystals journal, January 2010

Formation Mechanism of Stacking Faults in PVT 4H-SiC Created by Deflection of Threading Dislocations with Burgers Vector c+a journal, March 2011

Stacking faults created by the combined deflection of threading dislocations of Burgers vector c and c+a during the physical vapor transport growth of 4H–SiC journal, June 2011

Direct Observation of Stacking Fault Nucleation from Deflected Threading Dislocations with Burgers Vector c+a in PVT Grown 4H-SiC journal, January 2014

Commercial impact of silicon carbide
journal, September 2008

Progress in Large-Area 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layer Growth in a Warm-Wall Planetary Reactor
journal, February 2014

Volume production of high quality SiC substrates and epitaxial layers: Defect trends and device applications
journal, August 2012

Structure of recombination-induced stacking faults in high-voltage SiC p–n junctions
journal, February 2002

Mechanism of eliminating basal plane dislocations in SiC thin films by epitaxy on an etched substrate
journal, August 2006

Basal plane dislocation reduction for 8° off-cut, 4H-SiC using in situ variable temperature growth interruptions
journal, July 2008

Improved morphology for epitaxial growth on 4° off-axis 4H-SiC substrates
journal, June 2009

Investigations of 3C-SiC inclusions in 4H-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC single crystal substrates
journal, March 1997

Fast Generation-Recombination Channels due to Epitaxial Defects in SiC Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Devices
journal, February 1998

Polytype Inclusions and Triangular Stacking Faults in 4H-SiC Layers Grown by Sublimation Epitaxy
journal, January 1999

Carrot Defect Control in Chloride-Based CVD through Optimized Ramp up Conditions
journal, May 2012

Structure of the carrot defect in 4H-SiC epitaxial layers
journal, January 2005

Formation of extended defects in 4H-SiC epitaxial growth and development of a fast growth technique: Formation of extended defects in 4H-SiC epitaxial growth
journal, June 2009

Analysis of Dislocation Behavior in Low Dislocation Density, PVT-Grown, Four-Inch Silicon Carbide Single Crystals
journal, January 2010

Formation Mechanism of Stacking Faults in PVT 4H-SiC Created by Deflection of Threading Dislocations with Burgers Vector c+a
journal, March 2011

Stacking faults created by the combined deflection of threading dislocations of Burgers vector c and c+a during the physical vapor transport growth of 4H–SiC
journal, June 2011

Direct Observation of Stacking Fault Nucleation from Deflected Threading Dislocations with Burgers Vector c+a in PVT Grown 4H-SiC
journal, January 2014