Papers by Keyword: Burgers Vector

Abstract: We have studied threading dislocations (TDs) in 4H-SiC by means of X-ray topography (XRT) taken under 6 equivalent g-vector of 11-28 and two different chemical etching methods. Threading screw and mixed-type dislocations (TSDs and TMDs) can be distinguished and the direction of the a-components of TMDs can be determined by XRT. Efforts have been made to examine if there are features of etch pits that can be used to distinguish TMDs from TSDs.

Abstract: Threading dislocations (TDs) in an HVPE-grown free-standing GaN substrate have been studied by means of etch pit method using molten KOH+Na₂O₂ solution, cathodoluminescence (CL) mapping and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We have focused on the correlation between (1) Burgers vectors of TDs, (2) their appearances as dark spots in CL image, and (3) geometries of corresponding etch pits. Based on the above results, dislocation categorization for GaN by using etch pits or CL is discussed.

Abstract: We characterized threading screw dislocations to investigate the influence on device performance. The Burgers vectors of the threading screw dislocations (a total of 28dislocations) in 4H-SiC were determined by large-angle convergent-beam electron diffraction. A new type of TSD, b=c+2a dislocation was identified. And all of the four types of TSD predicted were identified. The frequency of their occurrence observed experimentally is in good agreement with theoretical prediction. In addition, we investigated relations of Burgers vector and the dislocation line direction.　 It has been confirmed that the Burgers vector of TSD does not necessarily coincide with the direction of dislocation lines. Looking ahead,　we need to investigate how the angle between Burgers vector and dislocation line influence device performance.

Abstract: This paper demonstrates high-resolution photoluminescence (PL) imaging and discrimination of threading dislocations in 4H-SiC epilayers. Threading screw dislocations (TSDs) and TEDs are distinguished by differences in PL spot size and spectrum. We found that TEDs are further discriminated into six types according to their Burgers vector directions by the appearance of PL imaging. Cross-sectional PL imaging reveals inclination angles of threading dislocations across a thick epilayer.

Abstract: A threading dislocation (TD) in 4H-SiC, which was currently interpreted as a perfect threading edge dislocation (TED) by synchrotron monochromatic-beam X-ray topography (SMBXT) and molten KOH etching with Na₂O₂ additive, was performed comparative characterization using weak-beam dark-field (WBDF) and large-angle convergent-beam electron diffraction (LACBED) methods. The TD was suggested to be dissociated into a dislocation pair which can be observed in the WBDF image of g=-12-10. The TD, which was identified as b//[-12-10] by SMBXT observation, was unambiguously determined as b=1/3[-12-10] by LACBED analysis. In the case of perfect TED, it was found that the direction of Burgers vector derived from SMBXT observation corresponds to LACBED analysis.

Abstract: A new type of defects, vacant broken line defects, was found to occur in a-face grown crystals of 4H-Silicon Carbide. We characterized the vacant broken line defects by high voltage transmission electron microscope (HV-TEM). The HV-TEM image revealed that the edges of broken line defects were connected by a bundle of dislocations, which elongated to the growth direction on the basal plane. The analysis by gb method for determining Burgers vector indicated that the dislocations were not pure screw dislocations, but complex of screw and edge dislocations. The vacant broken line defect was considered to be a quasi-stable state of a bundle of basal plane dislocations in a-face growth, similar to a micropipe defect in c-face growth.

Abstract: Abstract. With the advance of electron diffraction techniques in individual orientation analysis, traditional crystallographic characterization methods could be simplified, thus offering chances to develop some new approaches. In recent years, our group has devoted to working on possible extensions of the SEM and TEM based techniques for crystallographic analyses on a microstructure- and orientation-specific level. Several methods are illustrated in this paper, including the determination of dislocation type and Burgers vector without recourse to the traditional g.b invisibility condition, the identification of twinning mode and complete twinning elements for any crystal symmetry that requires minimum initial data input, and the characterization of specific interface plane or slip plane using only one sample observation plane instead of two perpendicular sample planes. These new extensions of characterization methods have proven to facilitate the related microstructural examinations.

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: 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: Abstract In the present work, we summarized two calculation methods to determine some specific crystallographic elements based on electron diffraction orientation measurements performed by TEM. The first one is to determine the type and the Burgers vector of dislocations for a known crystal structure. The method calculates the orientation of the projections of all the possible dislocation line vectors in the TEM screen coordinate system using the determined crystallographic orientation of the grain and then compares them with the observed ones to identify the observed dislocations. The second is to characterize the surface crystalline planes and directions of faceted nano-particles. With the determination of the edge trace vectors and then the plane normal vectors in the screen coordinate system of the TEM, their Miller indices in the crystal coordinate system can be calculated through coordinate transformation. These methods are expected to facilitate the related studies.