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

Journal Article · · Journal of Electronic Materials
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3]
  1. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
  2. Dow Corning Compound Semiconductor Solutions, Midland, MI (United States)
  3. Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States)
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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.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC00112704
OSTI ID:
1188243
Report Number(s):
BNL-108027-2015-JA; KC0403020
Journal Information:
Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol. 44, Issue 5; ISSN 0361-5235
Publisher:
SpringerCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 3 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (17)

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journal July 2008
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Related Subjects

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