Development of a High Rate 4H-SiC Epitaxial Growth Technique Achieving Large-Area Uniformity

A vertical hot-wall type epi-reactor that makes it possible to simultaneously achieve both a high rate of epitaxial growth and large-area uniformity at the same time has been developed. A maximum growth rate of 250 µm/h is achieved at 1650 °C. Thickness uniformity of 1.1 % and doping uniformity of 6.7 % for a 65 mm radius area are achieved while maintaining a high growth rate of 79 µm/h. We also succeeded in growing a 280 µm-thick epilayer with excellent surface morphology and long carrier lifetime of ~1 µs on average. The LTPL spectrum shows free exciton peaks as dominant, and few impurity-related or intrinsic defect related peaks are observed. The DLTS measurement for an epilayer grown at 80 µm/h shows low trap concentrations of 1.2×1012 cm-3 for Z1/2 center and 6.3×1011 cm-3 for EH6/7 center, respectively.