Influence of excess silicon on the surface morphology and defect structureduring the initial stages of SiC sublimation growth

The surface morphology of 6H-SiC layers grown by physical vapour transport (PVT) has been investigated using optical microscopy(OM) and atomic force m icroscopy (AFM). Experiments done in an environment, that represents the in itial stages of PVT growth, have shown that crystal growth already occurs b elow 1900 degrees C under 850 hPa argon pressure. Both growth mode and defe ct generation at the interface were strongly influenced by the addition of excess silicon to the source material. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All r ights reserved.