Solvent design aiming at solution property induced surface stability: A case study using SiC solution growth

For solution growth of silicon carbide, it is significant to understanding the evolutionary mechanism of step bunching. This study infers that solute’s incorporation into steps and transport together determines step bunching progress. The occurrence of step bunching is due to the depletion of solute in the region with high step density, caused by a high step kinetic coefficient. On the other hand, by promoting the transport of the solute in the solution, the step speed becomes uniform, thereby the step bunching can be prevented. Furthermore, we proposed a non-dimensional Damköhler number for crystal growth in step-flow mode. It correlates incorporation rates with bulk diffusion rates and can build a phase map of growth rates and step bunching stability. Several solvents are located in the phase map, demonstrating the possible usage of the phase map as a pointer for solvent designing.