Synchrotron X-Ray Topography Studies of the Propagation and Post-Growth Mutual Interaction of Threading Growth Dislocations with C-Component of Burgers Vector in PVT-Grown 4H-SiC

2012 ◽  
Vol 717-720 ◽  
pp. 343-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Zhen Wu ◽  
Huan Huan Wang ◽  
Sha Yan Byrapa ◽  
Balaji Raghothamachar ◽  
Michael Dudley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Opposite Sign ◽  
Equilibrium Concentration ◽  
Vapor Transport ◽  
Mutual Interaction ◽  
Similar Reaction ◽  
Threading Dislocations ◽  
Screw Dislocations ◽  
Burgers Vector ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Nucleation Sites

Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography (SWBXT) imaging of wafers cut parallel to the growth axis from 4H-SiC boules grown using Physical Vapor Transport has enabled visualization of the evolution of the defect microstructure. Here we present observations of the propagation and post-growth mutual interaction of threading growth dislocations with c-component of Burgers vector. Detailed contrast extinction studies reveal the presence of two types of such dislocations: pure c-axis screw dislocations and those with Burgers Vector n1c+n2a, where n1is equal to 1 and n2is equal to 1 or 2. In addition, observations of dislocation propagation show that some of the threading dislocations with c-component of Burgers adopt a curved, slightly helical morphology which can drive the dislocations from adjacent nucleation sites together enabling them to respond to the inter-dislocation forces and react. Since all of the dislocations exhibiting such helical configurations have significant screw component, and in view of the fact that such dislocations are typically not observed to glide, it is believed that such morphologies result in large part from the interaction of a non-equilibrium concentration of vacancies with the originally approximately straight dislocation cores during post-growth cooling. Such interactions can lead to complete or partial Burgers vector annihilation. Among the reactions observed are: (a) the reaction between opposite-sign threading screw dislocations with Burgers vectors c and –c wherein some segments annihilate leaving others in the form of trails of stranded loops comprising closed dislocation dipoles; (b) the reaction between threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of -c+a and c+a wherein the opposite c-components annihilate leaving behind the two a-components; (c) the similar reaction between threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of -c and c+a leaving behind the a-component.

The Nucleation and Propagation of Threading Dislocations with C-Component of Burgers Vector in PVT-Grown 4H-SiC

2013 ◽  
Vol 740-742 ◽  
pp. 217-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Zhen Wu ◽  
Michael Dudley ◽  
Huan Huan Wang ◽  
Sha Yan Byrapa ◽  
Shun Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basal Plane ◽  
Opposite Sign ◽  
Growth Direction ◽  
Threading Dislocations ◽  
Burgers Vector ◽  
X Ray ◽  
White Beam

Studies of threading dislocations with Burgers vector of c+a have been carried out using synchrotron white beam X-ray topography. The nucleation and propagation of pairs of opposite sign threading c+a dislocations is observed. Overgrowth of inclusions by growth steps leads to lattice closure failure and the stresses associated with this can be relaxed by the nucleation of opposite sign pairs of dislocations with Burgers vector c+a. Once these dislocations are nucleated they propagate along the c-axis growth direction, or can be deflected onto the basal plane by overgrowth of macrosteps. For the c+a dislocations, partial deflection can occasionally occur, e.g. the a-component deflects onto basal plane while the c-component continuously propagates along the growth direction. One factor controlling the details of these deflection processes is suggested to be related to the ratio between the height of the overgrowing macrostep and that of the surface spiral hillock associated with the threading growth dislocations with c-component of Burgers vector.

Investigation of Low Angle Grain Boundaries in Hexagonal Silicon Carbide

2006 ◽  
Vol 955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Chen ◽  
Hui Chen ◽  
Ning Zhang ◽  
Michael Dudley ◽  
Ronghui Ma
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Carbide ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Basal Plane ◽  
Vapor Transport ◽  
Threading Dislocations ◽  
Prismatic Plane ◽  
Screw Dislocations ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Edge Dislocations ◽  
Dislocation Walls

ABSTRACTInteraction between basal plane dislocations and single or well-spaced threading dislocations is discussed based on synchrotron white beam X-ray topographic studies carried out on physical vapor transport grown hexagonal silicon carbide single crystals. The basal plane dislocations are able to cut through single or well-spaced threading edge dislocations even if the formation of kinks/jogs is energetically unfavorable while threading screw dislocations were mostly observed to act as effective pinning points. However, basal plane dislocations can sometimes cut through a threading screw dislocation, forming a superjog and which subsequently migrates on the prismatic plane via a cross-slip process. Threading edge dislocation walls act as obstacles for the glide of basal plane dislocations and the mechanism by which this occurs is discussed. The character of low angle grain boundaries and their dislocation content are discussed.

Formation Mechanism of Stacking Faults in PVT 4H-SiC Created by Deflection of Threading Dislocations with Burgers Vector c+a

2011 ◽  
Vol 679-680 ◽  
pp. 269-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Dudley ◽  
Huan Huan Wang ◽  
Fang Zhen Wu ◽  
Sha Yan Byrapa ◽  
Balaji Raghothamachar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stacking Faults ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Vapor Transport ◽  
Physical Vapor Transport ◽  
Threading Dislocations ◽  
Stress Growth ◽  
Burgers Vector ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Dislocation Behavior ◽  
New Generation

Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography studies are presented of dislocation behavior and interactions in a new generation of seventy-six millimeter diameter, 4H-SiC wafers grown using Physical Vapor Transport under specially designed low stress conditions. Such low stress growth conditions have enabled reductions of dislocation density by two or three orders of magnitude compared to the lowest previously reported levels [1]. In this paper, detailed topography analysis will be presented of the deflection of threading dislocations with Burgers vectors of c and c+a onto the basal plane leading to reductions of the density of such dislocations down to levels of ~187 cm-2. The deflection of the latter type of dislocations produces complex faulted defect configurations and models for their creation are presented and discussed.

scholarly journals Dislocation Arrangement in a Thick LEO GaN Film on Sapphire

2000 ◽  
Vol 5 (S1) ◽  
pp. 97-103
Author(s):  
Kathleen A. Dunn ◽  
Susan E. Babcock ◽  
Donald S. Stone ◽  
Richard J. Matyi ◽  
Ling Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Electron Diffraction ◽  
Threading Dislocations ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Burgers Vector ◽  
X Ray ◽  
The Third ◽  
Dislocation Arrangement ◽  
Image Position ◽  
Gan Film

Diffraction-contrast TEM, focused probe electron diffraction, and high-resolution X-ray diffraction were used to characterize the dislocation arrangements in a 16µm thick coalesced GaN film grown by MOVPE LEO. As is commonly observed, the threading dislocations that are duplicated from the template above the window bend toward (0001). At the coalescence plane they bend back to lie along [0001] and thread to the surface. In addition, three other sets of dislocations were observed. The first set consists of a wall of parallel dislocations lying in the coalescence plane and nearly parallel to the substrate, with Burgers vector (b) in the (0001) plane. The second set is comprised of rectangular loops with b = 1/3 [110] (perpendicular to the coalescence boundary) which originate in the coalescence boundary and extend laterally into the film on the (100). The third set of dislocations threads laterally through the film along the [100] bar axis with 1/3<110>-type Burgers vectors These sets result in a dislocation density of ∼109 cm−2. High resolution X-ray reciprocal space maps indicate wing tilt of ∼0.5º.

The Relationship Between Micropipes and Screw Dislocations in Pvt Grown 6H-Sic

1996 ◽  
Vol 423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Giocondi ◽  
Gregory S. Rohrer ◽  
Marek Skowronski ◽  
V. Balakrishna ◽  
G. Augustine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scanning Force Microscopy ◽  
Vapor Transport ◽  
Physical Vapor Transport ◽  
Growth Surface ◽  
Repeat Distance ◽  
Screw Dislocations ◽  
Burgers Vector ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Force ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThe growth surface of a 6H-SiC boule, grown by physical vapor transport, was examined using scanning force microscopy. The dimensions of surface/micropipe intersections and screw dislocation Burgers vectors have been determined from topographic data. All micropipes are positioned along the lines of super screw dislocations with a Burgers vectors of at least 4 times the c-axis repeat distance (15.2 Å). Perfect c-axis screw dislocations with Burgers vectors of only 15.2 Å are stable and do not have open cores. Measurements show that micropipe core radii, determined indirectly from the width of the craters formed at the surface/micropipe intersections, increase with the square of the dislocation Burgers vector.

scholarly journals Breakdown Degradation Associated With Elementary Screw Dislocations In 4H-SiC P+N Junction Rectifiers

1997 ◽  
Vol 483 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. Neudeck ◽  
W. Huang ◽  
M. Dudley
Keyword(s):  
Video Camera ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Hollow Core ◽  
Power Devices ◽  
Screw Dislocations ◽  
Burgers Vector ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Current Voltage ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sic Wafer

AbstractIt is well-known that SiC wafer quality deficiencies are delaying the realization of outstandingly superior 4H-SiC power electronics. While efforts to date have centered on eradicating micropipes (i.e., hollow core super-screw dislocations with Burgers vector > 2c), 4H-SiC wafers and epilayers also contain elementary screw dislocations (i.e., Burgers vector = Ic with no hollow core) in densities on the order of thousands per cm2, nearly 100-fold micropipe densities. This paper describes an initial study into the impact of elementary screw dislocations on the reverse-bias current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of 4H-SiC p+n diodes. First, Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography (SWBXT) was employed to map the exact locations of elementary screw dislocations within small-area 4H-SiC p+n mesa diodes. Then the high-field reverse leakage and breakdown properties of these diodes were subsequently characterized on a probing station outfitted with a dark box and video camera. Most devices without screw dislocations exhibited excellent characteristics, with no detectable leakage current prior to breakdown, a sharp breakdown I-V knee, and no visible concentration of breakdown current. In contrast devices that contained at least one elementary screw dislocation exhibited a 5% to 35% reduction in breakdown voltage, a softer breakdown I-V knee, and visible microplasmas in which highly localized breakdown current was concentrated. The locations of observed breakdown microplasmas corresponded exactly to the locations of elementary screw dislocations identified by SWBXT mapping. While not as detrimental to SiC device performance as micropipes, the undesirable breakdown characteristics of elementary screw dislocations could nevertheless adversely affect the performance and reliability of 4H-SiC power devices.

Studies of c-Axis Threading Screw Dislocations in Hexagonal SiC

2008 ◽  
Vol 1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Chen ◽  
Xianrong Huang ◽  
Ning Zhang ◽  
Govindhan Dhanaraj ◽  
Edward Sanchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ray Tracing ◽  
Grazing Incidence ◽  
Screw Dislocations ◽  
Burgers Vector ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Back Reflection ◽  
Partial Dislocations ◽  
Ray Tracing Simulation ◽  
Vector Magnitude

ABSTRACTIn our study, closed-core threading screw dislocations and micropipes were studied using synchrotron x-ray topography of various geometries. The Burgers vector magnitude of TSDs can be quantitatively determined from their dimensions in back-reflection x-ray topography, based on ray-tracing simulation and this has been verified by the images of elementary TSDs. Dislocation senses of closed-core threading screw dislocations and micropipes can be revealed by grazing-incidence x-ray topography. The threading screw dislocations can be converted into Frank partial dislocations on the basal planes and this has been confirmed by transmission synchrotron x-ray topography.

High-resolution x-ray topography of dislocations in 4H-SiC epilayers

2007 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 845-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaho Kamata ◽  
Hidekazu Tsuchida ◽  
William M. Vetter ◽  
Michael Dudley
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Edge Dislocation ◽  
Screw Dislocations ◽  
Burgers Vector ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Topographic Features ◽  
Different Shapes ◽  
Vector Direction ◽  
Simulation Results

Synchrotron x-ray topography with a high-resolution setup using 1128 reflection was carried out on 4H-SiC epilayers. Four different shapes of threading-edge dislocation according to Burgers vector direction were observed. The four types of threading-edge dislocation images were calculated by computer simulation, and the experimental results correlated well with the simulation results. The detailed topographic features generated by plural screw dislocations and basal plane dislocations were also investigated.

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