The annealing behavior of defects observed in electron paramagnetic resonance and photoluminescence was considered. The divacancy (the P6/P7 electron paramagnetic resonance centres) was considered, as well as a previously unreported electron paramagnetic resonance center that was suggested to be a VC-VSi-VC trivacancy and their relationship with each other and with the UD1–3 series of PL lines near to 1eV. It was observed that the divacancy and the UD2 PL lines annealing behavior was strongly correlated; further establishing the relationship between the electron paramagnetic resonance and PL centres. A detailed analysis was made of this center, and its 29Si and 13C hyperfine spectra, which supported its attribution to a trivacancy. The intensity of this center increases with annealing temperature as the divacancy decreases and there was a sample-to-sample correspondence between the overall intensities of the two centres. However, the details of their annealing suggested a more complex relationship than a simple one-to-one transformation. In addition, while the UD1 PL increases with annealing temperature, sample-to-sample variations indicated it was not related to this electron paramagnetic resonance center.

Annealing of Multivacancy Defects in 4H-SiC. W.E.Carlos, N.Y.Garces, E.R.Glaser, M.A.Fanton: Physical Review B, 2006, 74[23], 235201 (8pp)