3D Imaging of In-Grown Stacking Faults in n-type 4H-SiC Epilayers Using Time-Resolved Photoluminescence

We proposed a time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) mapping technique for detecting and visualizing the structure characteristics of in-grown stacking faults (IGSFs) in n-type 4H-SiC epilayers that are otherwise optically invisible under optical microscopy. This method enables the identification of three distinct types of IGSFs, characterized by PL emission peaks at 420, 490, and 510 nm, and reconstructs their spatial structures. Additionally, the precise determination of a 4° substrate off-cut angle using the time-resolved PL imaging technique further validates the effectiveness and reliability of this method. The integration of temporal- and spatial-resolved techniques presents a nondestructive, efficient method to examine IGSFs, offering valuable insights into their formation mechanisms. This advancement contributes to devising strategies for mitigating IGSFs, thereby improving the reliability and performance of SiC-based electronic devices.