A transmission electron microscopic and high-resolution TEM investigation was made of the extended defects in β-SiC grown on Si (001) substrates by CVD. The main defects observed were stacking faults and twins. Stacking fault contrast could be explained by using the dynamical theory of electron diffraction. It was found that in β-SiC, stacking faults on inclined {111} planes exhibited complementary and symmetrical bright-field and dark-field fringe images. This observation was ascribed to the low anomalous absorption ratio of Bloch waves in SiC. Excellent agreement was found between experimental and simulated inclined stacking fault images in β-SiC. Narrow dark bands on {111} planes viewed edge-on generated streaks but no additional spots in selected area diffraction patterns. HRTEM revealed that these defects were extrinsic stacking faults.

TEM Analysis of Planar Defects in β-SiC. E.J.Olivier, J.H.Neethling: International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, 2009, 27[2], 443-8