Jian Qiu Guo

Dislocation Characterization in 4H-SiC Crystals

Definitive correlations are presented between specific types of dislocations identified via Synchrotron White Beam X-Ray Topography (SWBXRT) and identified via selective etching of 4H-SiC substrates. A variety of etch conditions and the results on different faces of SiC substrates and epiwafers are examined. Hillocks formed on the carbon face of the substrate after KOH etching correlate very well to TSDs identified via SWBXRT. Topography of substrates and of vertical crystal slices reveals a large proportion of Threading Mixed character Dislocations (TMDs) in the population of Threading Screw Dislocations.

Using Ray Tracing Simulations for Direct Determination of Burgers Vectors of Threading Mixed Dislocations in 4H-SiC c-Plane Wafers Grown by PVT Method

The presence of threading mixed dislocations (TMDs) (with both edge and screw component) in 4H-SiC crystals grown by PVT method has been reported both from axial slices (wafers cut parallel to the growth axis) and commercial offcut wafers (cut almost perpendicular to the growth axis). In this paper, a systematic method is developed and demonstrated to unambiguously determine the Burgers vectors of TMDs in 4H-SiC commercial offcut wafers using both Synchrotron Monochromatic X-ray Topography (SMBXT) and Ray Tracing Simulations. The principle of this method is that the contrast of dislocations on different reflections varies with the relative orientation of Burgers vectors with respect to the diffraction vectors. Measurements confirm that in commercial offcut wafers the majority of the threading dislocations with screw component are mixed type dislocations.

Automated Mapping of Micropipes in SiC Wafers Using Polarized-Light Microscope

We have developed a process that is able to detect, count, and map micropipes on SiC substrates. This process uses a polarized light microscope to scan the wafer. The pictures taken are analyzed with a program that produces a micropipe map as well as numerical defect distribution data in a text file. The results of the process were validated with x-ray topography measurement. The repeatability of this process is also studied and reported.

Direct Observation of Stress Relaxation Process in 4H-SiC Homoepitaxial Layers via In Situ Synchrotron X-Ray Topography

During 4H silicon carbide (4H-SiC) homoepitaxy and post-growth processes, the development of stress relaxation has been observed, in which interfacial dislocations (IDs) are formed at the epilayer/substrate interface, relaxing the misfit strain induced by the nitrogen doping concentration difference between the epilayer and substrate. It is widely believed that an interfacial dislocation is created by the glide of a mobile segment of a basal plane dislocation (BPD) in the substrate or epilayer towards the interface, leaving a trailing edge component right at the interface. However, direct observation of such mechanisms has not been made in SiC before. In this work, we present an in situ study of the stress relaxation process, in which a specimen cut from a commercial 4H-SiC homoepitaxial wafer undergoes the stress relaxation process during a high-temperature heat treatment while sequential synchrotron white beam X-ray topographs were recorded simultaneously. Based on the dynamic observation of this process, it can be concluded that thermal stress plays a role in the relaxation process while the increased misfit strain at elevated temperature most likely drives the formation of an interfacial dislocation.

Optimization of 150 mm 4H SiC Substrate Crystal Quality

Continuous optimization of bulk 4H SiC PVT crystal growth processes has yielded an improvement in 150 mm wafer shape, as well as a marked reduction in stacking fault density. Mean wafer bow and warp decreased by 26% and 14%, respectively, while stacking faults were nearly eliminated from wafers produced using the refined process. These quality enhancements corresponded to an adjustment to key thermal parameters predicted to control intrinsic crystal stresses, and a reduction in crystal dome curvature.

High Quality AlN Single Crystal Substrates for AlGaN-Based Devices

Aluminum nitride (AlN) single crystal boules were grown by physical vapor transport (PVT). Diameter expansion during boule growth, without the introduction of low angle grain boundaries (LAGB) around the boule periphery, was confirmed by crossed polarizer imaging, synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT), and synchrotron monochromatic beam x-ray topography (SMBXT). The densities of basal plane dislocations (BPD) and threading edge dislocations (TED) averaged from high-magnification topographs of five regions of a high-quality substrate were 0 cm-2 and 992 cm-2, respectively. Substrates fabricated from AlN boules possessed excellent surface finishes suitable for epitaxy.

Mapping of Threading Screw Dislocations in 4H n-Type SiC Wafers

X-ray topography shows that selective KOH etching after CVD growth of n-type epilayers on highly N doped 4H SiC substrates can be used to reliably map pure and mixed Threading Screw Dislocations (TSD). The influence of the mapping grid density and the wafer position in the crystal on the average TSD density are investigated. A reliable mapping of TSD contributed to the development of 100mm SiC wafers with average TSD density down to 200 cm-2.

Post-Growth Micropipe Formation in 4H-SiC

Understanding the growth and propagation of defects in SiC remains of interest in an effort to continue to improve device performance. A post-growth boule heat-treatment revealed to form micropipe pairs from apparent single screw dislocations is reviewed. In the treated samples almost no 1c threading screw dislocations were found. Instead, micropipe pairs were observed in similar densities to 1c threading screw dislocations in non-heat treated samples. It is hypothesized that the elevated temperatures allowed for enhanced dislocation mobility, enabling the transition.

Resolving the discrepancy between observed and calculated penetration depths in grazing incidence X-ray topography of 4H-SiC wafers

Synchrotron X-ray Topography with grazing incidence geometry is useful for discerning defects at different depths below the crystal surface, particularly for 4H-SiC epitaxial wafers. However, the penetration depths measured from X-ray topographs are much larger than the theoretical values. In order to interpret this discrepancy, we simulate topographic contrast of dislocations based on two of the most basic contrast formation mechanisms – orientation contrast and kinematical contrast. Orientation contrast considers merely the displacement fields associated with dislocations while kinematical contrast also takes the diffraction volume into account. The diffraction volume is defined by the effective misorientation around dislocations and the rocking curve width for particular diffraction vector. Ray Tracing Simulation has been carried out to visualize dislocation contrast for both models, taking into account the photoelectric absorption of X-ray beams inside the crystal. Results show that orientation contrast plays the key role in determining both the contrast and X-ray penetration depths for different types of dislocations.

150 mm 4H-SiC Substrate with Low Defect Density

150 mm diameter 4H-SiC boules were grown by the physical vapor transport (PVT) method. Synchrotron white beam X-ray topography (SWBXT) was carried out to investigate the distribution of defects in axial slices cut from the boule. It was found that an increase of dislocations and micropipes was mainly induced by inclusions. After eliminating these inclusions, which were formed in the mid to late stage of the crystal growth, both the screw dislocation density and base plane dislocation density could be decreased down to a magnitude of 102 cm-2, which is comparable to that of high quality 100 mm diameter SiC substrates.