A Method for Defect Delineation in Silicon Carbide Using Potassium Hydroxide Vapor

概要

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Defect evaluation of silicon carbide (SiC) wafers can be accomplished by potassium hydroxide (KOH) etching. The method described in this work employs etching by KOH in a vapor phase rather than in a liquid phase and this method allows reliable etching of both Si- and C-faces and furthermore it allows the delineation of defects on alternate orientation planes of SiC. Polished SiC wafers were etched in the temperature range from 700 to l000℃ at atmospheric air pressure. Etch pits were observed on (0001), (000^^-1), (112^^-0) and (l1^^-00) planes. The shape of the pits was found to be in accordance with the crystallographic symmetry. Activation energies for (0001) and (112^^-0) planes were found to be 〜17 kcal/mol and 〜20 kcal/mol, respectively. It was demonstrated that the method of KOH vapor etching of SiC is simple for implementation having possibilities to reveal most of the important crystal defects.
社団法人応用物理学会の論文
2002-12-15