Study of luminescent centers annealing in wide bandgap semiconductors: Color cathodoluminescence-scanning electron microscopy

A color cathodoluminescence-scanning electron microscopy (CCL-SEM) technique was used to study the annealing of luminescent centers in wide bandgap semiconductors (mainly silicon carbide), due to native defects, induced during the growth process or to radiation by high-energy particles. The significant role of dislocations in the crystals was revealed. These dislocations are created by the mechanical failure of crystals and play the role of getters for unstable defects and assist in quenching the luminescence at fairly low annealing temperatures. During the electron beam annealing of the samples, the resolved CL fine structure of luminescence images was measured around failure regions which look like a rosette of strength* at temperatures of 1300-1350 degrees C.