High-Resolution X-ray Topography of Dislocations in 4H-SiC Epilayers

Abstract

AbstractSilicon carbide (SiC) substrates and epilayers contain many crystal defects, such as micropipes, screw dislocations, threading edge dislocations (TEDs), basal plane dislocations (BPDs) and stacking faults. To investigate these defects, synchrotron radiation topography is frequently carried out. When the monochromatic synchrotron X-ray topography is taken by the grazing-incidence reflection geometry using 11-28 reflection, screw dislocations, TEDs and BPDs are simultaneously seen and shown as different topographic images [1]. Many studies of dislocations were reported using 11-28 reflections in 4H-SiC [1,2]. Topographic images of the dislocations have been analyzed by the ray-tracing method of computer simulation [3]. However, experimental images of dislocations were not fully matched to the fine structure of simulation images, because of a lack of resolution in recording media: conventional films and nuclear emulsion plates [3]. This time, we report obtaining high-resolution topographic images using a new recording medium, and compare results between the experiment and the computer simulation. Synchrotron topography in 11-28 reflection was carried out at SPring8 applying holography films as high-resolution recording media. The TED images are distinguished as four types, which have ribbon-like features with different rotating angles, through the use of the films. The four different TED images agree well with the computer simulated images which have been reported by Vetter et.al. taking into account of the different Burgers vector directions [3]. By comparing the three topographic images taken at g=-12-18, 11-28 and 2-1-18, we confirmed experimentally that the four types of TED images originated from the difference of Burgers vector directions. We also investigated high-resolution topographic images of elementary screw dislocations, micropipes, and BPDs in 4H-SiC epilayers. The experimental image of screw dislocation fairly matched with simulated image. The fine features in the experimental topographic images of micropipes and BPDs are also compared with the simulated images in detail. [1] T. Ohno, H. Yamaguchi, S. Kuroda, K. Kojima, T. Suzuki, K. Arai: J. cryst. Growth. Vol. 260 (2004) 209. [2] H. Tsuchida, T. Miyanagi, I. Kamata, T. Nakamura, R. Ishii, K. Nakayama and Y.Sugawara: Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. Vol. 25, (2005), L806-808. [3] W. Vetter, H. Tsuchida, I. Kamata, M. Dudley: J. Appl. Cryst. Vol. 38, (2005), 442-447.