Papers by Author: Michel Pons

Abstract: The Continuous Feed-Physical Vapor Transport Technique (CF-PVT) was optimized by considering the heating, thermal insulation and the geometry of growth cavity. The effects of seeds on the surface morphology of the grown layer have been discussed. We successfully grew 3C-SiC bulk with a diameter of 7.0 mm and 3.3 mm in height with a high growth rate of 0.8 mm/h by the CF-PVT technique.

Abstract: The control of the nucleation step is a critical issue for a future development of 3C-SiC bulk growth. The possibility to get very high quality 3C-SiC single crystal through self-nucleation on graphite was already demonstrated but the large number of nuclei limits the growth of only one crystal. In this study, we have investigated different configurations that help improving the nucleation step. For that, the “necking” stage, well established in Bridgman or Czochralski growth processes, has been successfully applied to the growth of 3C-SiC with the CF-PVT technique. This has allowed getting only one 3C-SiC crystal. The enlarged parts, after having passed the neck, are of high structural quality.

Abstract: In order to achieve AlN bulk growth, HTCVD chlorinated process is investigated. High growth rate and high crystalline quality are targeted for AlN films grown on (0001) 4H SiC at 1750°C. The precursors used are ammonia NH3 and aluminium chlorides AlClx species formed in situ by action of Cl2 on high purity Al wire. Influences of N/Al ratio in the gas phase on growth rate, crystalline state and microstructure are presented. Growth rates of up to 200 µm/h have been reached for polycrystalline layers. Thermodynamic calculations were carried out and correlated to the experimental results. As-grown AlN layers were characterized by SEM and X-ray Diffraction. Surface morphology is studied by SEM and FEG-SEM and crystallographic orientations were obtained by X-ray diffraction on θ/2θ.

Abstract: The main problem for the development of 3C-SiC electronics is the lack of an adapted bulk growth process. The seeded sublimation method is not very adapted for the 3C polytype because of the solid-state transition from cubic to hexagonal that occurs at high temperature (above 1800°C). In this paper, we propose a new experimental set-up for the development of a solution route for the growth of high quality 3C-SiC crystals. By a coupled approach involving experiments and global process modeling, we have addressed the problems of dissolution and crystallization, elimination of parasitic nucleation and stabilization of the growth front. With an appropriate control of the different convection mechanisms, a stable growth front is demonstrated, with a growth rate of a few tens of µm/h at 1650°C. Further improvements and potentialities of this approach are discussed.

Abstract: The conditions to succeed in growing 3C-SiC single crystals are first, make available large 3C-SiC seeds and second, develop a suitable growth process. In this paper, we will address those two issues by reviewing the most recent results in the field. Nucleation, growth, structural quality and doping results will be presented. New insights on 3C bulk growth will be discussed with respect to a future development of real bulk 3C-SiC ingots.

Abstract: To achieve AlN bulk growth, HTCVD chlorinated process is investigated. High growth rate and high crystalline quality are targeted for AlN films grown on (0001) α-Al2O3 and (0001) 4H or 6H SiC substrates between 1100 °C and 1750 °C. The precursors used are ammonia NH3 and aluminium chlorides AlClx species formed in situ by action of Cl2 on high purity Al wire. Both influences of temperature and carrier gas on microstructure, crystalline state and growth rate are presented. Growth rates higher than 190 μm.h-1 have been reached. Thermodynamic calculations were carried out to understand the chemistry of AlN deposition. AlN layers were characterized by SEM and θ/2θ X-Ray Diffraction. Their epitaxial relationships with substrates were deduced from pole figures obtained by X-Ray diffraction on a texture goniometer.

Abstract: We have investigated through birefringence microscopy, a set of 3C-SiC crystals grown with the CF-PVT process, starting from different seeds and under different growth conditions. Through self nucleation experiments, the stable growth of very high quality 3C-SiC crystals at high temperature (2100°C) and at high rate (roughly 0.2 mm/h) is demonstrated. The possibility to develop bulk growth of 3C-SiC crystals is discussed.

Abstract: Modeling and simulation of the SiC growth processes, Physical Vapor Transport (PVT), Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), are sufficiently mature to help building new process equipment or up-scaling old ones. It is possible (i) to simulate accurately temperature and deposition distributions, as well as doping (ii) to quantify the limiting phenomena, (iii) to understand the important role of different precursors in CVD and hydrogen additions in PVT. The first conclusion of this paper is the importance of the "effective" C/Si ratio during CVD epitaxy in hot-wall reactors and its capability to explain the doping concentrations. The second conclusion is the influence of the C/Si ratio in alternative bulk growth technique involving gas additions.

Abstract: The development of 3C-SiC crystals from <0001> oriented hexagonal seed has always suffered from the systematic twinning which appears during the nucleation step of the layer. Using the continuous feed – Physical Vapour Transport (CF-PVT) growth process, we succeeded in growing single domain 3C-SiC crystals. To explain that, we propose in this work, a model based on the interaction between the lateral expansion anisotropy of 3C-SiC nuclei and the step flow growth front. Depending on the step edges direction, we can obtain one 3C orientation developing simultaneously with the vanishing of the other one. This model is confirmed by cross sectional HRTEM observation of the α-β interface.

Abstract: AlN is considered as the most suitable substrate material for further development of high quality and high performance nitride-based micro- and opto-electronics. AlN ingots are often grown on SiC seeds. To solve the formation of cracks due to the difference in lattice parameters between seed and crystal we chose to “adapt” the lattice mismatch by a buffer layer of the (AlN)x(SiC)1-x solid solution. This paper gives some inputs on the growth of AlN and the solid solution by the sublimation technique, in terms of materials compatibility, hetero- and homo-epitaxial growth of AlN and on the preparation of crack-free solid solution single crystals.