A review was presented of the various synchrotron white-beam X-ray topography imaging techniques for the characterization of SiC crystals and thin films. These techniques, including back-reflection topography, reticulography, transmission topography, and a set of section topography techniques, were demonstrated to be particularly powerful for imaging hollow-core screw dislocations (micro-pipes) and closed-core threading screw dislocations, as well as other defects, in SiC. The geometrical diffraction mechanism commonly underlying these imaging processes was emphasized for understanding the nature and origins of these defects. Also introduced was the application of synchrotron white-beam X-ray topography combined with high-resolution X-ray diffraction techniques to complete characterization of 3C/4H or 3C/6H SiC heterostructures, including polytype identification, 3C variant mapping, and accurate lattice mismatch measurements.

Contribution of X-Ray Topography and High-Resolution Diffraction to the Study of Defects in SiC. M.Dudley, X.Huang, W.M.Vetter: Journal of Physics D, 2003, 36[10A], A30-6