Characterization of (4,4)- and (5,3)-Type Stacking-Faults in 4deg.-Off 4H-SiC Epitaxial Wafers by Synchrotron X-Ray Topography and by Photo-Luminescence Spectroscopy

Abstract

Experimentally,the grazing-incident X-ray topography at different diffraction conditions, and room temperature photo-luminescence spectroscopy, various different types of stacking-faults in epitaxial films on 4-degrees-off 4H-SiC wafers were identified precisely without wafer cutting. Their types and the numbers were investigated statistically. It became clear that (4,4) type stacking-faults were the most common ones and two different types were identified. Still 34% of the stacking-faults were unknown types in the present investigation.Several different kinds of stacking-faults formed on the surface of 4-degrees-off 4H-SiC epitaxial wafers were investigated. Their types could be identified and type distribution in a wafer could be obtained using X-ray topography and room temperature Photo-Luminescence without wafer cutting. Type determination of 8H(4,4)- stacking fault ; with or without strain field, could also be decideddemonstrated using this method.