Thermodynamical analysis of polytype stability during PVT growth of SiC using 2D nucleation theory

We studied dependence of process parameters, such as temperature of a seed, pressure in a furnace and surface polarity of a substrate, on polytypes of SiC in a process of physical vapor transport. The analysis was based on a classical thermodynamic nucleation theory in conjunction with numerical results obtained from a global model. We investigated which polytype was more stable in the nucleation stage by a comparison of nucleation energies of each polytype. The results show that the formation of 4H-SiC was more stable than that of 6H-SiC when we used C-face SiC as a seed. Furthermore, the most stable polytype could change from 4H-SiC to 6H-SiC in a condition of higher supersaturation, with a condition of higher temperature of a seed and lower pressure in a furnace. Meanwhile, the formation of 6H-SiC was more stable than 4H-SiC when Si-face of a seed was used.

► Dependence of growth conditions on polytypes of SiC for PVT growth was studied.
► Nucleation energy of each polytype was calculated by thermodynamic nucleation theory.
► Formation of 4H-SiC is more stable than that of 6H-SiC on C-face.
► Formation of 6H-SiC is more stable than that of 4H-SiC on Si-face.