APPLICATION OF OXIDATION TO THE STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SIC EPITAXIAL-FILMS

Both 3C-SiC and 6H-SiC single-crystal films can be grown on vicinal (0001) 6H-SiC wafers. We have found that oxidation can be a powerful diagnostic process for (1) "color mapping" the 3C and 6H regions of these films, (2) decorating stacking faults in the films, (3) enhancing the decoration of double positioning boundaries, and (4) decorating polishing damage. Contrary to previously published oxidation results, proper oxidation conditions can yield interference colors that provide a definitive map of the polytype distribution for both the Si face and C face of SiC films. Defects were more effectively decorated by oxidation on the Si face than on the C face.