Tunneling Atomic Force Microscopy Studies on Surface Growth Pits Due to Dislocations in 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layers

The morphological and electrical properties of surface growth pits caused by dislocations in 4H-SiC epitaxial layers were characterized using tunneling atomic force microscopy. The characteristic distribution of the tip current between the metal-coated atomic force microscopy tip and the SiC was obs...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of electronic materials 2012-08, Vol.41 (8), p.2193-2196
Main Authors: Ohtani, Noboru, Ushio, Shoji, Kaneko, Tadaaki, Aigo, Takashi, Katsuno, Masakazu, Fujimoto, Tatsuo, Ohashi, Wataru
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atomic force microscopy
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Chemistry and Materials Science
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science
rheology
Crystal dislocations
Crystal surfaces
Defects and impurities in crystals
microstructure
Defects and impurities: doping, implantation, distribution, concentration, etc
Dislocations
Electrical properties
Electronic materials
Electronics and Microelectronics
Epitaxial layers
Exact sciences and technology
Instrumentation
Linear defects: dislocations, disclinations
Materials Science
Methods of deposition of films and coatings
film growth and epitaxy
Microscopy
Optical and Electronic Materials
Physics
Pits
Silicon carbide
Solid State Physics
Structure and morphology
thickness
Structure of solids and liquids
crystallography
Surfaces and interfaces
thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
Theory and models of film growth
Thin film structure and morphology
Tunneling
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Description
Summary:The morphological and electrical properties of surface growth pits caused by dislocations in 4H-SiC epitaxial layers were characterized using tunneling atomic force microscopy. The characteristic distribution of the tip current between the metal-coated atomic force microscopy tip and the SiC was observed within a large surface growth pit caused by a threading screw dislocation. The current was highly localized inside the pit and occurred only on the inclined surface in the up-step direction near the pit bottom. This paper discusses the causes and possible mechanisms of the observed tip current distribution inside surface growth pits.
ISSN:0361-5235
1543-186X
DOI:10.1007/s11664-012-2133-3