Synchrotron white beam X-ray topography observations were reported of single-ended Frank-Read sources in 4H-SiC. These resulted from inter-conversion between basal plane dislocations and threading edge dislocations brought about by step interactions on the growth interface resulting in a dislocation comprising several glissile basal plane dislocation segments on parallel basal planes interconnected by relatively sessile threading edge dislocation segments. Under stress, the basal plane dislocation segments became pinned by the threading edge dislocation segments producing single ended Frank-Read sources. Since the basal plane dislocations appeared to hop between basal planes, this apparently dominant multiplication mechanism for basal plane dislocations in 4H-SiC was referred to as the hopping Frank-Read source mechanism.

Basal Plane Dislocation Multiplication via the Hopping Frank-Read Source Mechanism in 4H-SiC. H.Wang, F.Wu, S.Byrappa, S.Sun, B.Raghothamachar, M.Dudley, E.K.Sanchez, D.Hansen, R.Drachev, S.G.Mueller, M.J.Loboda: Applied Physics Letters, 2012, 100[17], 172105