Stacking fault band structure in 4H-SiC and its impact on electronic devices

First principles calculations of the stacking fault (SF) in 4H-SiC indicate the occurrence of an interface band in the gap with maximum depth of 0.2-0.3 eV below the conduction band minimum at the (M) over bar point. The energy of formation of SFs in 3C-, 4H-, and 6H-SiC on the other hand is found to be of order a few meV/pair. Thus, there is a thermodynamic driving force promoting growth of SF area in an n-type sample. Radiationless recombination of electrons trapped at the SF with holes is proposed to provide sufficient energy to overcome the partial dislocation motion barriers towards formation of additional SF area in a device under forward bias. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.