Experimental assessment of metal solvents for low-temperature liquid-phase epitaxy of silicon carbide

Abstract

The results of an experimental survey of metal solvents for low-temperature liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) of SiC on 6H-SiC substrates is reported. The most promising solvents for low-temperature (900°C-1200°C) LPE include Ga, Sn, Ga/Sn, Ni, Cu, and Zn-Al. We were able to achieve continuous epitaxial layers of several microns thickness at growth temperatures of around 1000°C. In the case of Zn/Al solvents, the growth mechanism is attributed to supersaturation induced by solvent evaporation. Selective epitaxy on patterned, masked SiC substrates was also demonstrated. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V.