Stacking faults in thick (001)- and (111)-oriented 3C-SiC single crystals were studied by using high-resolution X-ray diffraction. It was demonstrated that analysis of the diffuse scattering intensity distribution could be used as a non-destructive means of accurately determining the densities of Shockley-type stacking faults. The diffuse scattering intensity was simulated using a scattering model which was based upon a difference-equation description of faulting in face-centered cubic materials. It was shown that (001) SiC crystals exhibited an anisotropic fault distribution, whereas (111) crystals exhibited an isotropic fault distribution; in excellent quantitative agreement with transmission electron microscopy observations.

X-ray Diffuse Scattering from Stacking Faults in Thick 3C-SiC Single Crystals. A.Boulle, D.Chaussende, L.Latu-Romain, F.Conchon, O.Masson, R.Guinebretière: Applied Physics Letters, 2006, 89[9], 091902 (3pp)