Materials Science Forum Vols. 821-823

Abstract: Synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT), synchrotron monochromatic beam x-ray topography (SMBXT), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies have been carried out on stacking faults in PVT grown 4H-SiC crystal. Their fault vectors were determined by SWBXT to be 1/3<-1100>, 1/2<0001>, 1/6<-2203>, 1/12<4-403>, 1/12<-4403>. HRTEM studies reveal their similarity in stacking sequences as limited numbers of bilayers of 6H polytype structure. Simulation results of the two partial dislocations associated with the stacking faults in SMBXT images reveal the opposite sign nature of their Burgers vectors. A mechanism for stacking fault formation via 2D nucleation is postulated.

Abstract: Defect formation during the initial stage of physical vapor transport (PVT) growth of 4H-SiC crystals in the [000-1] and [11-20] directions was investigated by x-ray diffraction, defect-selective etching, and micro Raman scattering imaging. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the growths in the [000-1] and [11-20] directions exhibited markedly different behaviors with respect to the defect formation during the initial stage of growth. While a characteristic lattice plane bending was observed for the PVT growth along [000-1], a tilted domain structure was revealed near the grown crystal/seed interface for the growth in the [11-20] direction. Micro Raman scattering imaging revealed that nitrogen enrichment occurred near the grown crystal/seed interface and was associated with compressive stress parallel to the interface. Based on the results, the defect formation mechanisms during the initial stage of PVT growth of 4H-SiC are discussed.

Abstract: Numerical simulation appeared till now as the only tool able to describe the SiC growth by PVT process, while the chemistry of the Si-C system and its coupling to mass transfer were not considered in a satisfactory way. To assess the chemistry of SiC crystal, the coupling of numerical and thermodynamic calculations computed by FEM, and by treating SiC as a solid solution, respectively, is presented. This enables the possibilities to control the activity of each component in SiC crystal during the growth. The link between growth conditions and SiC crystal chemistry could be one of the key issues to link the growth and the occurrence of cubic or hexagonal polytypes.

Abstract: A specific transition metal is used as a dopant element in silicon carbide powders to create the compensation effect. According to ab-initio simulation, vanadium, chromium, and manganese-induced compensation decrease the lifetime of the acceptor carrier and cause higher resistance when boron is the main impurity. Since the silicon carbide lattice has low solubility, excess metal precipitates on the surface of powders, particularly on the grain boundaries. The compositions of matrix and precipitation in the powders reveal obvious differences between the two areas. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern shows the structure of VSi₂, which indicates the existence of a second phase. Dual-beam focused ion beam (DBFIB) is used to further analyze the geography inside the powders. A cross-section view by DBFIB shows a second phase in the grains with a composition similar to that in the grain boundary. Metal-doped silicon carbide powders are used as starting materials to conduct crystal growth with better dopant element distribution.

Abstract: This article gives the results of crystal growth by a High-Temperature Gas Source Method such as HTCVD. It was reported that clusters were formed and were an important factor of the growth in HTCVDs, and some influences of them were investigated. The difference between the model with and without clustering was compared. The experimental growth rates corresponded to the cluster model, and this indicated that clusters affect the crystal growth. Relations between the experimental growth rate and the growth temperature as a function of gas flow ratio were investigated. The gas flow ratio was defined: (SiH₄+C₃H₈) / (SiH₄+C₃H₈+H₂). Maximum growth rate was 2.3mm/h under high source gas ratio. At present, a Φ75mm×54mm sized ingot has been developed.

Abstract: Eelectrically active defects in 3C–SiC are investigated by considering the structures and interactions of planar defects. An anti-phase boundary (APB) largely degrades the blocking property of semiconductor devices due to its semimetallic nature. Although APBs can be eliminated by orienting the specific polar face of 3C-SiC along a particular direction, stacking faults (SFs) cannot be eliminated due to Shockley-type partial dislocation glide. SFs with Shockley-type partial dislocations form a trapezoidal plate which expands the Si-terminated surface with increasing 3C-SiC thickness. Although the density of SFs can be reduced by counter termination, specific cross-junctions between a pair of counter SFs forms a forest dislocation, and this is regarded as an electrically active defect. This paper proposes an effective way to suppress the forest dislocations and APBs which nucleate during 3C-SiC growth.

Abstract: In this paper, we will describe a detailed experimental study on the behavior of Ge incorporation into 4H-SiC during its homoepitaxial growth by CVD. Addition of GeH₄ precursor to the standard chemical system SiH₄ + C₃H₈ was investigated as a function of various growth parameters. Its effect on surface morphology, layer quality and purity was followed. All these results will allow proposing an exhaustive picture of Ge incorporation mechanism into 4H-SiC with the possible benefits of such impurity incorporation in the silicon carbide lattice.

Abstract: The interaction of liquid Ge and Si droplets, deposited by CVD, on the surface of 4H-SiC single-crystals is studied. It was found that at 1500 °C Ge forms micrometric droplets while Si forms nanometric dots. While the Si dots do not seem to interact significantly with SiC, the Ge droplets have the tendency to dissolve the Si from the seed. This mechanism not only happens during deposition but also during the cooling. If the cooling rate is too slow, Ge evaporates from the droplets while dissolving Si so that, at the end, the droplets look like to have been fully converted from Ge to Si.

Abstract: The silicon carbide CVD reactor cleaning process was studied by means of detaching silicon carbide particles, which was formed on the silicon carbide coated carbon susceptor surface during the silicon carbide film deposition. The contact points between the particles and the susceptor surface were etched using chlorine trifluoride gas at temperatures lower than 290 °C for 120 min. During this process, the carbon susceptor covered with the silicon carbide coating film suffered from little damage while achieving cleaning.

Abstract: Application of dichlorosilane (DCS) in 4H-SiC epitaxial growth on 4° off-cut substrates has been studied. The effect of C/Si ratio and N₂ gas flow rate on epilayer properties is investigated in detail. It is found that the C/Si ratio has a significant influence on the growth rate, epilayer surface roughness (step-bunching), conversion of basal plane dislocations (BPDs), and generation of morphological defects and in-grown stacking faults. A wide range of doping concentration from p- to n+ can be controlled in DCS growth. High quality 4° off-cut SiC epilayers are achieved for C/Si=1.3 – 1.8. Addition of N₂ has no obvious influence on growth rate and defect densities. The BPD conversion greater than 99.8% is achieved independent of N doping without any pretreatment.