Structural defects in electrically degraded 4H-SiC p+/n−/n+ diodes

Triangular structural defects are occasionally generated during the long-term operation of 4H-SiC pin diodes and degrade the forward characteristics of the diode. We have used synchrotron white beam x-ray topography, scanning electron microscopy, in situ cathodo luminescence, and transmission electron microscopy to characterize the structure and formation of these defects. It is shown that the defects are stacking faults on the (0001) basal planes, bound by partial dislocations with Burgers vectors $\text{1/3〈101̄0〉}$ and $\text{1/3〈011̄0〉.}$ These partials are suggested to form by the dissociation of existing dislocations.