Incorporation of group III, IV and V elements in 3C–SiC(1 1 1) layers grown by the vapour–liquid–solid mechanism

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 2010-11, Vol.312 (23), p.3443-3450
• Main Authors: Lorenzzi, J., Zoulis, G., Marinova, M., Kim-Hak, O., Sun, J.W., Jegenyes, N., Peyre, H., Cauwet, F., Chaudouët, P., Soueidan, M., Carole, D., Camassel, J., Polychroniadis, E.K., Ferro, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A1. Doping; A1. Impurities; A1. SIMS; A2. Growth from melt; A3. Liquid phase epitaxy; B2. Silicon carbide; Condensed Matter; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Growth from melts; zone melting and refining; Growth from vapor; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials Science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2010.08.058

We report on a comparative investigation of the incorporation of group III, IV and V impurities in 3C–SiC heteroepitaxial layers grown by the vapour–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism on on-axis α-SiC substrates. To this end, various Si-based melts have been used with addition of Al, Ga, Ge and Sn species. Homoepitaxial α-SiC layers grown using Al-based melts were used for comparison purposed for Al incorporation. Nitrogen incorporation depth profile systematically displays an overshoot at the substrate/epilayer interface for all the layers. Ga and Al incorporations follow the same distribution shape as N whereas this is not the case for the isoelectronic impurities Ge and Sn. This suggests some interaction between Ga/Al and N coming from the high bonding energy between the group III and V elements, which does not exist with Ge and Sn. This is why both incorporate as a cluster. A model of incorporation is proposed taking into account metal-N and metal-C bonding energies together with the solid solubility of the corresponding nitrides.