Cathodoluminescence microscopy and spectroscopy of n-type 4H-SiC epilayers

Abstract

Cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy and spectroscopy have been used to investigate the nature and spatial distribution of defects and impurities in n-type epitaxial 4H-SiC. CL microscopy reveals the existence of 6H-SiC polytype inclusions, while CL spectra recorded at different excitation conditions show luminescence emission related to deep levels in the SiC epilayer. Deconvolution of the mentioned spectra indicates the complex character of the deep-level CL emission, that is actually composed of four bands centred near 2.72, 2.56, 2.42 and 2.00 eV at 88 K. The origin of these bands is discussed considering previous deep level transient spectroscopy measurements carried out in the same material investigated in the present work.