Photoluminescence study of oxidation-induced faults in 4H-SiC epilayers

Yutaro Miyano,Shuhei Yagi,Ryosuke Asafuji,Yasuto Hijikata,Hiroyuki Yaguchi

doi:10.1063/1.4938126

Abstract

We investigated the effect of thermal oxidation on crystalline faults in 4H-SiC epilayers using photoluminescence imaging. We found that a comb-shaped dislocation array was deformed by thermal oxidation. We also found that line-shaped faults perpendicular to the off-cut direction were formed during oxidation and were stretched and increased with the oxidation time. Since these line-shaped faults were peculiar to the oxidation and stretched/increased with the oxide growth, they were identified as oxidation-induced stacking faults as seen in Si oxidation.

Highlights

We investigated the effect of thermal oxidation on crystalline faults in 4H-Silicon carbide (SiC) epilayers using photoluminescence imaging
We found that line-shaped faults perpendicular to the off-cut direction were formed during oxidation and were stretched and increased with the oxidation time
Hiyoshi and Kimoto reported that carbon vacancies present in an as-grown epilayer are filled with carbon interstitials that diffuse to the SiC layer during thermal oxidation.[11]

Summary

Introduction

We investigated the effect of thermal oxidation on crystalline faults in 4H-SiC epilayers using photoluminescence imaging. We have investigated the effect of thermal oxidation on SFs using PL imaging, where the power density and irradiation time of the excitation laser light were significantly reduced, and dislocations could be observed from near-infrared-band emissions.[14]

Results

Conclusion