Some new insights into the impact of annealing on single stacking faults in 4H-SiC

The impact of annealing in the 350-500 °C temperature range on the stacking faults, generated by electron beam irradiation of 4H-SiC crystals, have been studied. We have demonstrated that the partial dislocations driving the stacking faults expansion are also mobile under annealing and lead to shrinking of stacking faults. Gliding of 90° partial dislocations with both C- and Si-core is detected after annealing. It is observed that SSFs introduced from indentation by annealing have not pronounced crystallographic orientation that can prevent their expansion under subsequent electron irradiation. An anomalous excess carriers transport along the stacking faults at distances of 10 and 50 μm in highly- and low-doped 4H-SiC is detected.