Surface defects generated by intrinsic origins on 4H-SiC epitaxial wafers observed by scanning electron microscopy.

Surface defects with intrinsic origins in an epitaxial layer on 4H-SiC wafers were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Commercially available 4H-SiC epitaxial wafers with 4° or 8° off-axis angles from the [0001] direction toward the [112¯0] direction were used in this experiment. Various types of defects, including micropipes, pits, carrots, stacking faults and wide terrace and high step structures, were observed and clearly identified. The defects are presented as a catalog that can be used in the identification of surface defects.

Surface defects generated by extrinsic origins on 4H-SiC epitaxial-wafers observed by scanning electron microscopy.

Surface defects on 4H-SiC wafers with an epitaxial layer grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Commercially available epitaxial-wafers with four or eight deg-off surface from the [0001] toward the [112¯0] directions were used for this experiment. 3C-SiC particles, triangular-defects, comets, obtuse-triangular-shaped-defects and micro-holes were identified in the SEM images. This paper can be considered as a catalog of SEM images and descriptions of various surface defects for 4H-SiC wafers with a CVD-grown epilayer.