Conversion of Basal Plane Dislocations to Threading Edge Dislocations by Annealing 4H-SiC Epilayers at High Temperatures

Basal plane dislocations (BPDs) converting to threading edge dislocations (TEDs) has been observed in 4H-SiC epilayers after thermal annealing at high temperatures. Grazing incidence reflection synchrotron X-ray topography was used to investigate the dislocation behaviors. It is argued that the conversion is achieved by constricted BPD segments cross-slipping to the prismatic plane and TED glide on its slip plane. Higher conversion ratio and better surface morphology were achieved by performing ion implantation and annealing before the epitaxial growth.