Title: Equilibrium shapes and surface selection of nanostructures in 6H-SiC

Abstract

Here, the equilibrium shape of 6H-SiC nanostructures and their surfaces were studied by analyzing nano-void (~10 nm) shapes, which were introduced in monocrystalline 6H-SiC by high-temperature neutron irradiation, using transmission electron microscopy. The nano-voids were determined to be irregular icosahedrons truncated with six {1¯100}, twelve {1¯103}, one smaller top-basal, and one larger bottom-basal planes, which suggests that {1¯100} and {1¯103} are the next stable surface class after the basal planes. The relatively frequent absence of the {1¯100} surface in the nano-voids indicated that the (1¯103¯) surface type is energetically rather stable. These non-basal surfaces were found not to be atomically flat due to the creation of nanofacets with half unit-cell height in the c-axis. The {1¯100} and {1¯103} surfaces were classified as two and four face types according to their possible nanofacets and surface termination, respectively. We also discuss the surface energy difference between the (1¯103¯) and (1¯103) face types in relation to the energy balance within the equilibrium, but irregular, polyhedron, in which the (1¯103) surface had double the surface energy of the (1¯103¯) surface (~3900 erg/cm²).

Authors:

Kondo, Sosuke ^[1]; Parish, Chad M. ^[2]; Koyanagi, Takaaki ^[2]; Katoh, Yutai ^[2]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Kyoto Univ., Kyoto (Japan)
2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Publication Date:

Mon Apr 03 00:00:00 EDT 2017

Research Org.:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC)

OSTI Identifier:

1351780

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1989760

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Applied Physics Letters

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 110; Journal Issue: 14; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951

Publisher:

American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE