Dislocation loop evolution in ion implanted 4H–SiC

4H–SiC epilayers were implanted with ${}^{\mathrm{27}}\mathrm{Al}$ in doses from ${\text{1.3×10}}^{14}\hspace{0.17em}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\text{−2}}$ to ${\text{7.8×10}}^{14}\hspace{0.17em}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\text{−2}}.$ Dislocation loop formation after high-temperature annealing was studied by plan-view transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. The total dislocation loop area was found to vary linearly with the implanted dose. For each dose, the total dislocation loop area, reflecting the amount of interstitials bound to loops, stays constant both with prolonged annealing and increasing temperature. Simultaneously, the average radius of the dislocation loops increases, indicating a process similar to Ostwald ripening.