Development of Non-Destructive In-House Observation Techniques for Dislocations and Stacking Faults in SiC Epilayers

Abstract

We have developed non-destructive in-house observation techniques for dislocations and stacking faults (SFs) in 4H-SiC epilayers. Low temperature photoluminescence (PL) mapping was carried out at 100K using He-Cd laser (325 nm) as an exciation source. PL mapping at ~420 nm was used to investigate basal plane dislocations (BPDs), Shockley stacking faults (SSFs) and boundary, while PL mapping at ~470 nm and 100K obtained in-grown SF images. In addition, using a high-resolution laboratory X-ray topography system with a four-crystal collimator, we succeeded in recording BPDs propagating along [11-20]. From the measurement results, new evaluation techniques for dislocations and SFs other than KOH etching and Synchotron radiation topography were demonstrated on Si- and C-face 4H-SiC epilayers.