The electroluminescence, mobility, and core nature of partial dislocations bounding stacking faults in 4H-type p-i-n diodes were investigated by using optical emission microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The stacking faults developed and expanded in the blocking layer during high current forward biasing. Their bounding partial dislocations exhibited two distinct characteristics. Bright luminescent segments were mobile while dark invisible ones were stationary during biasing. Transmission electron microscopic analysis of their Burgers vectors indicated that the mobile segments were Si-core 30° partial dislocations while the immobile segments were C-core 30° ones.

Core Structure and Properties of Partial Dislocations in Silicon Carbide p-i-n Diodes. S.Ha, M.Benamara, M.Skowronski, H.Lendenmann: Applied Physics Letters, 2003, 83[24], 4957-9