Simulation of Threading Edge Dislocation Images in X-Ray Topographs of Silicon Carbide Homo-Epilayers

Among the types of dislocation seen in homo-epilayers of SiC grown upon 4H-SiC wafers with an 8° surface offcut are basal plane dislocations propagated into the epilayer at an 8° inclination, and threading edge dislocations. These types may be imaged by monochromatic synchrotron x-ray topography in the grazing-incidence reflection geometry using the 11 2 8 reflection. Equations needed to apply the ray-tracing method of computer simulating x-ray topographic defect images in this experimental geometry were derived and used to simulate images of the threading edge dislocations. Simulations of the threading edge dislocations showed 4 μm wide white ovals with narrow arcs of dark contrast at their ends, inclined relative to the g-vector of the topograph according to the sign of their Burgers vector. These resembled the experimental topographs, inasmuch as was possible at the maximum resolution of x-ray topographs.