Epitaxial aluminum carbide formation in 6H-SiC by high-dose Al⁺ implantation

Aluminum precipitates are formed after Al implantation with dose 3x10¹⁷ cm^-2 at 500°C into single crystalline 6H-SiC. The aluminum carbide (Al₄C₃)precipitates are in epitaxial relation with 6H-SiC matrix, having the following orientation relation, [0001]6H-SiC//[0001]Al₄C₃ and [11-20]6H-SiC//[11-20]Al₄C₃, as transmission electron microscopy reveals. The aluminum carbide appears around the maximum of the Al depth distribution. Silicon precipitates were also detected in the same zone.