Dislocations in 4H-SiC epilayers were imaged non-destructively by means of microphotoluminescence mapping at room temperature. The one-to-one correspondence between the individual dislocations and the microphotoluminescence mapping contrast was consistently obtained. By analyzing the reduction of the intensity in the microphotoluminescence mapping image performed at 390nm (near band-edge emission), it was possible to distinguish threading screw dislocations and threading edge dislocations. Furthermore, it was found that a basal plane dislocation dissociates into a single Shockley stacking fault during the measurement.

Nondestructive Visualization of Individual Dislocations in 4H-SiC Epilayers by Micro Photoluminescence Mapping. G.Feng, J.Suda, T.Kimoto: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 2010, 49[9], 090201