Tunneling Atomic Force Microscopy Studies on Surface Growth Pits Due to Dislocations in 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layers

The morphological and electrical properties of surface growth pits caused by dislocations in 4H-SiC epitaxial layers were characterized using tunneling atomic force microscopy. The characteristic distribution of the tip current between the metal-coated atomic force microscopy tip and the SiC was observed within a large surface growth pit caused by a threading screw dislocation. The current was highly localized inside the pit and occurred only on the inclined surface in the up-step direction near the pit bottom. This paper discusses the causes and possible mechanisms of the observed tip current distribution inside surface growth pits.