Influence of substrate surface morphology on defect generation during silicon carbide single crystal growth

摘要

6H-SiC single crystals were grown on various substrates, treated mechanically and chemically in different conditions, by physical vapor transport. To investigate the defect evolution according to the different substrate treatment prior to the growth, the grown crystals were examined by optical micrograph, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and molten KOH etching technique. The smoother substrate surface was, the lower defect density the grown SiC had. The highest quality SiC crystal was grown on substrate etched by hydrogen after polished by 0.25 μm diamond paste, having an edge/screw dislocation density of 7.3 X 10~2/cm~2 without micropipes. Defects, such as dislocations and micropipes, of the grown crystals are found to be strongly correlated with the substrate morphology.