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Bulk AlN Crystal Growth on SiC Seeds and Defects Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Peng Lu
Affiliation:
plu@ksu.edu, Kansas State University, Chemical Engineering, 105 Durland Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, United States
J H Edgar
Affiliation:
edgarjh@ksu.edu, Kansas State University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Manhattan, KS, 66506, United States
C Cao
Affiliation:
chundic@ksu.edu, Kansas State University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Manhattan, KS, 66506, United States
K Hohn
Affiliation:
hohn@ksu.edu, Kansas State University, Department of Chemical Engineering, Manhattan, KS, 66506, United States
R Dalmau
Affiliation:
rfdalmau@unity.ncsu.edu, North Carolina State University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Raleigh, NC, 27695, United States
R Schlesser
Affiliation:
rschlesser@hexatechinc.com, HexaTech, Inc, Morrisville, NC, 27560, United States
Z Sitar
Affiliation:
sitar@ncsu.edu, North Carolina State University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Raleigh, NC, 27695, United States
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Abstract

Sublimation growth of AlN was performed on Si-face, 8 ° off-axis 4H-SiC (0001) and 3.5 ° off-axis 6H-SiC (0001) seeds. AlN layers 500 - 900 μm thick and 20 mm in diameter were grown at 1830 °C by consecutive growths and continuous growth. The c-axis growth rate was approximately 8 - 18 μm/hr. On both the 8 ° and 3.5° off-axis SiC substrates, “step” features formed on the AlN surface with uniform terrace width and step density. The step heights and terrace widths increased as the AlN grew thicker. In addition, a single facet of 9 mm × 5 mm formed on the top of the layer grown on the 3.5 ° off-axis SiC. High resolution x-ray diffraction showed the AlN (00.2) 2θ value shifted from pure AlN toward SiC. Approximately 3 – 4 at% of SiC was detected at the surface of the AlN by XPS. Molten KOH/NaOH etching revealed that both samples had Al-polar surface with dislocation densities on the order of 106-107 cm−2. The cross-section etching showed the re-nucleation layer and void defects at the interfaces of the consecutive growths.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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References

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