Is the Al Solubility Limit in SiC Temperature Dependent or not?

Abstract

The so-called VLS (Vapour-Liquid-Solid) mechanism in an Al-Si melt has recently demonstrated the capability to grow at low temperature single crystalline 4H-SiC layers, with a high Al content. Using the newly developed VLS technique, we have deposited several 4H-SiC layers and determined the incorporated Al level by SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy). Depending on the sample, we have found that the SIMS doping level ranges from 5x1019 to 1x1021 at.cm-3. This last value is the highest one reported so far for in-situ doped SiC:Al. From TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) analyses we show that the layers are single crystals, with a high density of defects located only at the lower interface and no foreign phase inclusion. These results compare well with the ones obtained in previous works using alternative doping techniques, like ion implantation, chemical vapour deposition or sublimation. It thus suggests that Al solubility limit in SiC is rather temperature independent.