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Study on Evolution of Micropipes from Hexagonal Voids in 4H-SiC Crystals by Cathodoluminescence Imaging

Part of: Micrographia Collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2021

Aman Arora ,
Ankit Patel ,
Brajesh S. Yadav ,
Anshu Goyal ,
Om P. Thakur ,
Arun K. Garg  and
Ramachandran Raman
Aman Arora
Affiliation:
Solid State Physics Laboratory, Timarpur, Lucknow Road, Delhi110054, India
Ankit Patel
Affiliation:
Solid State Physics Laboratory, Timarpur, Lucknow Road, Delhi110054, India
Brajesh S. Yadav*
Affiliation:
Solid State Physics Laboratory, Timarpur, Lucknow Road, Delhi110054, India
Anshu Goyal
Affiliation:
Solid State Physics Laboratory, Timarpur, Lucknow Road, Delhi110054, India
Om P. Thakur
Affiliation:
Solid State Physics Laboratory, Timarpur, Lucknow Road, Delhi110054, India
Arun K. Garg
Affiliation:
Solid State Physics Laboratory, Timarpur, Lucknow Road, Delhi110054, India
Ramachandran Raman
Affiliation:
Solid State Physics Laboratory, Timarpur, Lucknow Road, Delhi110054, India
*
*Author for correspondence: Brajesh S. Yadav, E-mail: brajeshyadav@sspl.drdo.in
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Abstract

This paper presents an investigation on micropipe evolution from hexagonal voids in physical vapor transport-grown 4H-SiC single crystals using the cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging technique. Complementary techniques optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) are also used to understand the formation mechanism of hexagonal voids along with the origin of pipes from these voids. The ability of CL to image variations along the depth of the sample provides new insights on how micropipes are attached to hexagonal voids that lie deep within the bulk single crystals. CL imaging confirms that multiple micropipes can originate from a single hexagonal void. EDS mapping shows that the inside of the micropipe walls exhibits higher levels of carbon. Investigation of the seed region by optical imaging shows that improper fixing of the seed to the crucible lid is the root cause for the formation of hexagonal voids that subsequently lead to micropipe formation.

Keywords

cathodoluminescence imagingcharacterizationhexagonal voidsmicropipessilicon carbide
Type
Micrographia
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , February 2021 , pp. 215 - 226
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Microscopy Society of America

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