Nitrogen doping of 4H–SiC by the top-seeded solution growth technique using Si–Ti solvent

• Nitrogen doping behavior of 4H–SiC was investigated by the top-seeded solution growth technique.
• Suppression of the background nitrogen level is achieved by the baking procedure.
• Doping concentration could be controlled by changing the nitrogen partial pressure during growth.
• Stacking faults were generated when the nitrogen concentration in SiC exceeded 3.0×1019 cm−3.
• The lowest resistivity of approximately 0.010 Ω cm was obtained with excellent crystalline quality.

The nitrogen doping behavior of 4H–SiC was investigated by the top-seeded solution growth technique using Si–Ti solvent. Growth experiments were performed under a mixed gas of helium and nitrogen at atmospheric pressure at 1940 °C, in which nitrogen content ranged between 0.17 and 0.5 vol%. The electrical property and structural quality of nitrogen-doped crystals were examined. The nitrogen doping level increased with the increase of nitrogen content in the growth furnace. The most heavily nitrogen-doped SiC with a concentration of 1.1×1020 cm−3 was obtained; however, stacking faults (SFs) were abruptly generated above a nitrogen concentration of 3.0×1019 cm−3. The lowest resistivity of approximately 0.010 Ω cm was obtained with SFs-free. Based on the both undoped and nitrogen-doped growth experimental results, the nitrogen incorporation behavior by employing our solution growth technique was discussed.