Paper Titles
Preface
Growth of 8-Inch SiC Single Crystals with Low Basal Plane Dislocation Density
p.1
300 mm 4H-SiC Crystal and Substrate Development
p.7
Epitaxial Growth and Characterization of 4H-SiC Layer on C-Face and Si-Face Substrates
p.15
Development of High Concentration Uniformity Epitaxial Growth on 200 mm 4H-SiC Wafers
p.21
Ultra-Pure SiC Source Material for Optical SiC Crystal Growth
p.27
Ultra-Thick (~200µm) Epitaxy on 150mm 4H-SiC Wafers Using Single Wafer CVD Reactor
p.35
Solution Growth Technique of Silicon Carbide with In Situ Observation
p.41
Close Space PVT Growth of N- and P-Type Quasi-Bulk SiC in a Classic PVT Setup and a Newly Developed TableTopCSTM Growth Machine
p.47

Epitaxial Growth and Characterization of 4H-SiC Layer on C-Face and Si-Face Substrates

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Abstract:

4H-SiC is a wide-bandgap semiconductor that has become essential for power electronics due to its large bandgap, high critical electric field, and excellent thermal stability. Within the {0001} basal orientation, the two polar surfaces – Si-face and C-face – exhibit distinct behaviours during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) homoepitaxy, with direct implications for device performance and manufacturing. In this work, n-type epitaxial layers were deposited on 150 mm, 4° off-axis Si-face and C-face substrates under identical conditions in a single-wafer hot-wall LP-CVD reactor (T > 1600 °C, P = 3.0 kPa, C/Si = 1.05, silane/propane/ethylene precursors, N₂ doping, HCl additive). Characterization analysis revealed pronounced polarity-dependent differences. AFM analysis showed that C-face epilayers exhibited smoother surfaces and reduced step bunching compared with Si-face layers. Optical and photoluminescence inspections show polarity-dependent defect propagation, with the C-face displaying reduced replication of extended defects under the explored conditions. However, nitrogen incorporation on the C-face orientation was more than 25× higher than Si-face orientation and displayed poor uniformity, highlighting the limited effectiveness of site-competition epitaxy on this orientation. In contrast, the Si-face provides tighter control of doping concentration and lateral uniformity, albeit with higher step bunching and rougher surfaces. These findings emphasize a fundamental trade-off in 4H-SiC homoepitaxy: the C-face offers morphological and structural advantages, while the Si-face ensures superior doping control and process stability. A deeper understanding of these polarity-dependent mechanisms is essential to optimize epitaxial growth strategies and to enable the design of high-performance SiC power devices.

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Periodical:

Solid State Phenomena (Volume 393)

Pages:

15-20

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4028/p-z4K8Ju

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Online since:

May 2026

Authors:

Chiara Nania*, Ruggero Anzalone, Domenica Raciti, Nicolò Piluso, Fabiana Vento, Cristiano Calabretta, Andrea Severino

Keywords:

4H-SiC, Defectivity, Epitaxial Growth, LP-CVD, N2 Incorporation, Surface Roughness

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Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

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* - Corresponding Author

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