Intentional Incorporation and Tailoring of Point Defects during Sublimation Growth of Cubic Silicon Carbide by Variation of Process Parameters

Abstract

Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) is an emerging material with promising properties for various applications in power electronics, energy saving, and quantum technology. In recent years, size and quality of 3C-SiC substrates reached a level where real applications become tangible. However, there is still a lack of knowledge concerning defects in 3C-SiC. Point defects can be considered as one of the key defects, as they influence all applications in one way or another. Herein, the growth rate dependent tailoring of point defects—according to probability and density—is presented for bulk 3C-SiC grown by epitaxial sublimation growth. Photoluminescence characterization reveals a group of four distinct peaks in the near-infrared which are assumed to have their joint origin in the carbon vacancy. Moreover, indications for a novel Al-related defect are presented. The observed defects show bright luminescence in the 175 K/200 K regime and remain excitable up to 300 K.