Massive reduction of threading screw dislocations in 4H-SiC crystals grown by a hybrid method combined with solution growth and physical vapor transport growth on higher off-angle substrates

Propagation of threading screw dislocations (TSDs) during hybrid growth, combined with TSD conversion by solution growth and bulk growth by physical vapor transport, has been investigated for 4° off and 15° off C-face seeds. The converted defects on basal planes (BP-defects) are able to be eliminated by continuing to guide them on basal planes with a 15° off seed, while BP-defects revert to TSDs with a 4° off seed. The difference in the BP-defects propagation is discussed based on the elastic energy balance between TSDs and BP-defects in the unit growth thickness for higher off-angle seeds.