Assessment of SiC Crystal Chemistry during the PVT Growth Process: Coupled Numerical Modeling and Thermodynamics Approach

Abstract

Numerical simulation appeared till now as the only tool able to describe the SiC growth by PVT process, while the chemistry of the Si-C system and its coupling to mass transfer were not considered in a satisfactory way. To assess the chemistry of SiC crystal, the coupling of numerical and thermodynamic calculations computed by FEM, and by treating SiC as a solid solution, respectively, is presented. This enables the possibilities to control the activity of each component in SiC crystal during the growth. The link between growth conditions and SiC crystal chemistry could be one of the key issues to link the growth and the occurrence of cubic or hexagonal polytypes.