Epitaxial aluminum carbide formation in 6H-SiC by high-dose Al+ implantation

Aluminum carbide precipitates are formed after Al ion implantation with dos e 3 X 10(17) cm(-2) at 500 degrees C into single crystalline 6H-SiC. The al uminum carbide (Al4C3) precipitates are in epitaxial relation with 6H-SiC m atrix, having the following orientation relation, [0001]6H-SiC//[0001]Al4C3 , and [11(2) over bar 0]6H-SiC//[11(2) over bar 0]Al4C3, as transmission el ectron microscopy reveals. The aluminum carbide appears around the maximum of the Al depth distribution. Silicon precipitates were also detected in th e same zone. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)00518-5 ].