Non-polar AlN layers were grown onto 4H-SiC (1¯1•0) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. By using SiC substrates with well-formed step-and-terrace structures, stable layer-by-layer growth of 4H-AlN (1¯1•0) could be realized. The layer-by-layer growth was confirmed by observations of anisotropic two-dimensional AlN islands on the grown surface as well as persistent reflection high-energy electron diffraction intensity oscillations. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopic observations revealed that stacking fault generation during growth was suppressed and the stacking fault density was reduced to 106/cm.

Nonpolar 4H-AlN Grown on 4H-SiC (1¯100) with Reduced Stacking Fault Density Realized by Persistent Layer-by-Layer Growth. M.Horita, T.Kimoto, J.Suda: Applied Physics Letters, 2008, 93[8], 082106