Epitaxial growth on 4H-SiC by TCS as a silicon precursor

Abstract

Epitaxial growth on n-type 4H-SiC 8° off-oriented substrates with a size of 10 × 10 mm2 at different temperatures with various gas flow rates has been performed in a horizontal hot wall CVD reactor, using trichlorosilane (TCS) as a silicon precursor source together with ethylene as a carbon precursor source. The growth rate reached 23 μm/h and the optimal epilayer was obtained at 1600 °C with a TCS flow rate of 12 sccm in C/Si of 0.42, which has a good surface morphology with a low RMS of 0.64 nm in an area of 10 × 10 μm2. The homoepitaxial layer was obtained at 1500 °C with low growth rate (< 5 μm/h) and the 3C-SiC epilayers were obtained at 1650 °C with a growth rate of 60–70 μm/h. It is estimated that the structural properties of the epilayers have a relationship with the growth temperature and growth rate. Silicon droplets with different sizes are observed on the surface of the homoepitaxial layer in a low C/Si ratio of 0.32.