Intentional Incorporation and Tailoring of Point Defects during Sublimation Growth of Cubic Silicon Carbide by Variation of Process Parameters

Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) is an emerging material with promising properties for various applications in power electronics, energy saving, and quantum technology. In recent years, size and quality of 3C-SiC substrates reached a level where real applications become tangible. However, there is still a lack of knowledge concerning defects in 3C-SiC. Point defects can be considered as one of the key defects, as they influence all applications in one way or another. Herein, the growth rate dependent tailoring of point defects-according to probability and density-is presented for bulk 3C-SiC grown by epitaxial sublimation growth. Photoluminescence characterization reveals a group of four distinct peaks in the near-infrared which are assumed to have their joint origin in the carbon vacancy. Moreover, indications for a novel Al-related defect are presented. The observed defects show bright luminescence in the 175 K/200 K regime and remain excitable up to 300 K.