SURFACE UV PHOTOLUMINESCENCE OF SILICON-CARBIDE CRYSTALS

The UV photoluminescence of SiC crystals and films with energies well above E(g) has been studied. It is concluded from data on the decay ki netics and polarization characteristics of the UV photoluminescence ba nds that the emission comes from clusters. Exposure of the surfaces of the crystals to KOH and various solvents reveals that the emission ce nters reside in a surface layer. They arise after mechanical treatment (grinding and polishing) of the surfaces of the SiC crystals. (C) 199 4 American Institute of Physics.