Papers by Author: Michael Dudley

Abstract: Studies of threading dislocations with Burgers vector of c+a have been carried out using synchrotron white beam X-ray topography. The nucleation and propagation of pairs of opposite sign threading c+a dislocations is observed. Overgrowth of inclusions by growth steps leads to lattice closure failure and the stresses associated with this can be relaxed by the nucleation of opposite sign pairs of dislocations with Burgers vector c+a. Once these dislocations are nucleated they propagate along the c-axis growth direction, or can be deflected onto the basal plane by overgrowth of macrosteps. For the c+a dislocations, partial deflection can occasionally occur, e.g. the a-component deflects onto basal plane while the c-component continuously propagates along the growth direction. One factor controlling the details of these deflection processes is suggested to be related to the ratio between the height of the overgrowing macrostep and that of the surface spiral hillock associated with the threading growth dislocations with c-component of Burgers vector.

Abstract: A systematic study on the density and distribution of extended defects in a typical single crystal AlN boule grown by the physical vapor transport (PVT) method has been carried out in order to gain a detailed understanding of the formation of defects such as dislocations and low angle grain boundaries (LAGBs). Boule surface studies reveal that LAGBs are nucleated during initial stages of growth and propagate to the end of growth. Basal plane dislocations (BPDs) are generated during growth due to thermal gradient stresses. Higher BPD densities are found near the LAGBs at the boule edges due to additional stresses from constrained growth. Threading edge dislocations (TEDs) are typically replicated from the seed, and LAGBs composed of arrays of threading dislocation walls are formed to accommodate the c-axis rotation between different groups of threading screw dislocation (TSD) mediated growth centers.

Abstract: Using the physical vapor transport (PVT) method, single crystal boules of AlN have been grown and wafers sliced from them have been characterized by synchrotron white beam X-ray topography (SWBXT) in conjunction with optical microscopy. X-ray topographs reveal that the wafers contain dislocations that are inhomogeneously distributed with densities varying from as low as 0 cm^-2 to as high as 10⁴ cm^-2. Two types of dislocations have been identified: basal plane dislocations and threading dislocations, both having Burgers vectors of type 1/3<112-0> indicating that their origin is likely due to post-growth deformation. In some cases, the dislocations are arranged in low angle grain boundaries. However, large areas of the wafers are nearly dislocation-free and section X-ray topographs of these regions reveal the high crystalline perfection.

Abstract: In this paper, we report on the synchrotron white beam topographic (SWBXT) observation of “hopping” Frank-Read sources in 4H-SiC. A detailed mechanism for this process is presented which involves threading edge dislocations experiencing a double deflection process involving overgrowth by a macrostep (MP) followed by impingement of that macrostep against a step moving in the opposite direction. These processes enable the single-ended Frank-Read sources created by the pinning of the deflected basal plane dislocation segments at the less mobile threading edge dislocation segments to “hop” from one slip plane to other parallel slip planes. We also report on the nucleation of 1/3< >{ } prismatic dislocation half-loops at the hollow cores of micropipes and their glide under thermal shear stress.

Abstract: Lateral expansion of small mixed polytype 4H/6H-SiC and 6H-SiC slivers were realized by hot wall chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD). Small slivers cut from m-oriented (11 ̅00) SiC boule slices containing regions of 4H and 6H-SiC or just single polytype 6H-SiC were exposed to HWCVD conditions using standard silane/propane chemistry for a period of up to eight hours. The slivers exhibited approximately 1500 μm (1.5 mm) of total lateral expansion. Initial analysis by synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) confirms, that the lateral growth was homoepitaxial, matching the polytype of the respective underlying region of the seed sliver.

Abstract: A review is presented of Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography (SWBXT) studies of stacking faults observed in PVT-Grown 4H-SiC crystals. A detailed analysis of various interesting phenomena were performed and one such observation is the deflection of threading dislocations with Burgers vector c/c+a onto the basal plane and associated stacking faults. Based on the model involving macrostep overgrowth of surface outcrops of threading dislocations, SWBXT image contrast studies of these stacking faults on different reflections and comparison with calculated phase shits for postulated fault vectors, has revealed faults to be of basically four types: (a) Frank faults; (b) Shockley faults; (c) Combined Shockley + Frank faults with fault vector s+c/2; (d) Combined Shockley + Frank faults with fault vector s+c/4.

Abstract: Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography (SWBXT) imaging of wafers cut parallel to the growth axis from 4H-SiC boules grown using Physical Vapor Transport has enabled visualization of the evolution of the defect microstructure. Here we present observations of the propagation and post-growth mutual interaction of threading growth dislocations with c-component of Burgers vector. Detailed contrast extinction studies reveal the presence of two types of such dislocations: pure c-axis screw dislocations and those with Burgers Vector n₁c+n₂a, where n₁ is equal to 1 and n₂ is equal to 1 or 2. In addition, observations of dislocation propagation show that some of the threading dislocations with c-component of Burgers adopt a curved, slightly helical morphology which can drive the dislocations from adjacent nucleation sites together enabling them to respond to the inter-dislocation forces and react. Since all of the dislocations exhibiting such helical configurations have significant screw component, and in view of the fact that such dislocations are typically not observed to glide, it is believed that such morphologies result in large part from the interaction of a non-equilibrium concentration of vacancies with the originally approximately straight dislocation cores during post-growth cooling. Such interactions can lead to complete or partial Burgers vector annihilation. Among the reactions observed are: (a) the reaction between opposite-sign threading screw dislocations with Burgers vectors c and –c wherein some segments annihilate leaving others in the form of trails of stranded loops comprising closed dislocation dipoles; (b) the reaction between threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of -c+a and c+a wherein the opposite c-components annihilate leaving behind the two a-components; (c) the similar reaction between threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of -c and c+a leaving behind the a-component.

Abstract: Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography studies are presented of dislocation behavior and interactions in a new generation of seventy-six millimeter diameter, 4H-SiC wafers grown using Physical Vapor Transport under specially designed low stress conditions. Such low stress growth conditions have enabled reductions of dislocation density by two or three orders of magnitude compared to the lowest previously reported levels [1]. In this paper, detailed topography analysis will be presented of the deflection of threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of c and c+a onto the basal plane leading to reductions of the density of such dislocations down to levels of ~187 cm-2. The deflection of the latter type of dislocations produces complex faulted defect configurations and models for their creation are presented and discussed.

Abstract: Observations of dislocation nucleation occurring at substrate surface scratches during 4H-SiC CVD homoepitaxial growth are reported. Sub-surface residual damage associated with the scratches is observed to act as nucleation sites for basal plane dislocations (BPDs), threading edge dislocations (TEDs) and threading screw dislocations (TSDs) in the epilayer. TEDs and BPDs replicate from the surface intersections of basal plane dislocation half-loops injected into the substrate surface. A model for the nucleation mechanism of TSDs, which nucleate in opposite sign pairs, is presented which involves overgrowth of surface indentations associated with the scratch during step flow growth. Atomic steps which approach these local surface indentations can collapse creating pairs of opposite sign screw dislocations which have Burgers vector magnitude equal to the magnitude of the step disregistry created during the collapse.

Abstract: Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography (SWBXT) studies are presented of basal plane dislocation (BPD) configurations and behavior in a new generation of 100mm diameter, 4H-SiC wafers with extremely low BPD densities (3-4 x 102 cm-2). The conversion of non-screw oriented, glissile BPDs into sessile threading edge dislocations (TEDs) is observed to provide pinning points for the operation of single ended Frank-Read sources. In some regions, once converted TEDs are observed to re-convert back into BPDs in a repetitive process which provides multiple BPD pinning points.