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Analysis and modeling of localized faceting on 4 H ‐ S i C epilayer surfaces
Author(s) -
Dong Lin,
Sun Guosheng,
Zheng Liu,
Liu Xingfang,
Zhang Feng,
Yan Guoguo,
Tian Lixin,
Li Xiguang,
Wang Zhanguo
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201329204
Subject(s) - faceting , materials science , condensed matter physics , surface (topology) , atomic force microscopy , silicon carbide , chemical physics , surface energy , crystallography , nanotechnology , chemistry , geometry , physics , composite material , mathematics
Comparing with the well‐established theory of periodic surface faceting, the formation mechanism of localized surface faceting is not yet clear. We investigate the localized surface faceting of 4H silicon carbide (4H‐SiC) epilayers using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM measurements reveal that this phenomenon gives rise to the appearance of isolated macrosteps with multiple unit cell heights. A model for the localized surface faceting is presented based on the AFM cross‐sectional height profile. In this model, the isolated macrostep appears in the form of the double‐hill–valley structure. We formulize the total surface free energy in the model and explain the important structural features of isolated macrosteps observed by AFM. A generalized model for the localized surface faceting with multiple‐hill–valley structure is further proposed to analyze the transition from the localized surface faceting to the periodic surface faceting. Our results provide a basis for understanding the localized surface faceting phenomenon of 4H‐SiC epilayers.