Extended defects in 4H-SiC epilayers were surveyed, and recent results concerning fast epitaxial growth were reported. Synchrotron X-ray topography, transmission electron microscopy, Nomarski optical microscopy and defect selective etching analysis were applied to investigate the nucleation and propagation of carrot defects, basal plane Frank-type defects, polytype inclusions and basal plane dislocations in 4H-SiC epitaxial growth. In the development of the 4H-SiC fast epitaxial growth technique, a very high growth rate of up to 250μm/h was obtained in a newly developed vertical hot-wall-type reactor under low system pressure using a H2 + SiH4 + C3H8 system. Good thickness and impurity doping uniformity were also obtained simultaneously over a large area, with the retention of a high growth rate. A 4H-SiC epilayer virtually free from basal plane dislocations was obtained on a 4° off Si-face substrate.

Formation of Extended Defects in 4H-SiC Epitaxial Growth and Development of a Fast Growth Technique. H.Tsuchida, M.Ito, I.Kamata, M.Nagano: Physica Status Solidi B, 2009, 246[7], 1553-68