Abstract:Defects generated
during 4H-SiC (0001) solution growth have been
investigated by synchrotron X-ray topography and transmission electron
microscopy (TEM). The defects unidentified before are recognized as
V-shaped contrast features in the X-ray topographic images. The detailed
analysis combining TEM results revealed that the newly generated defects
are identified as a pair of dislocations on a basal plane with opposite
Burgers vectors parallel to the [112̅0] direction. It is found that no defects in the substra… Show more
Characterization of defects in semiconductor wafers is essential for the development and improvement of semiconductor devices, especially power devices. X-ray topography (XRT) using synchrotron radiation is a powerful methods used for defect characterization. To achieve detailed characterization of large-size semiconductor wafers by synchrotron XRT, we have developed nuclear emulsion plates reaching a high-resolution and wide dynamic range. We have shown that higher-resolution XRT images could be obtained using emulsions with smaller iodobromide crystals, and demonstrated clear observation of threading edge dislocations in a SiC epitaxial layer having small contrast. Furthermore, we demonstrated XRT image acquisition for almost all of a 150-mm SiC wafer with one plate. Our development will contribute to advances in electronic materials, especially in the field of power electronics, in which defect characterization is important for improving the performance and yield of devices.
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