Atomic configuration of irradiation-induced planar defects in 3C-SiC

Abstract

The atomic configuration of irradiation-induced planar defects in single crystal 3C-SiC at high irradiation temperatures was shown in this research. A spherical aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscope provided images of individual silicon and carbon atoms by the annular bright-field (ABF) method. Two types of irradiation-induced planar defects were observed in the ABF images including the extrinsic stacking fault loop with two offset Si-C bilayers and the intrinsic stacking fault loop with one offset Si-C bilayer. The results are in good agreement with images simulated under identical conditions.