The quantitative 6H-SiC crystal damage depth profiling

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials Vol. 555; p. 153143
• Main Authors: Gloginjić, M., Erich, M., Kokkoris, M., Liarokapis, E., Fazinić, S., Karlušić, M., Tomić Luketić, K., Petrović, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.11.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: 6H-SiC; Backscattering; Crystal lattices; Damage; Depth profiling; EBS; Energetic particles; Ion implantation; Ions; Neutrons; Nuclear cross sections; Protons; Qualitative analysis; Quantitative crystal damage profiling; Room temperature; Scanning electron microscopy; Silicon carbide; Spectra; 6H-SiC; Quantitative crystal damage profiling; EBS
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153143

•Determination of the quantified SiC crystal damage depth profile.•A successful demonstration of usage of EBS/C method for crystal damage characterization.•Micro-Raman spectroscopy and SEM analysis shows very good consistency with EBS/C obtained damage depth profiles. The hexagonal silicon carbide (6H-SiC) is one of materials used in nuclear applications, and as such is exposed to crystal damage inducing by variety of energetic particles like neutrons. In this article the 6H-SiC crystal lattice damage was introduced by the 4 MeV C3+ and 4 MeV Si3+ channelling ion implantation at the room temperature. The implantation of C and Si ions (so called self-ions) to the set of different fluences, achieves a 6H-SiC crystal lattice damage more similar to what the exposure to neutrons would produce. The 6H-SiC crystal damage has been investigated by the Elastic Backscattering spectra taken in the channeling orientation (EBS/C). EBS/C spectra of the implanted 6H-SiC samples were taken with 1.725 MeV and 1.860 MeV protons. By fitting the EBS/C spectra, the quantitative 6H-SiC crystal damage depth profiles were obtained. Further, the cross section of crystal's implanted region has been scanned with the micro-Raman (μR) technique for a comparison. In this way, the qualitative analysis of a non-crystalline phase as a function of the crystal depth was independently determined. Additionally, a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image was taken of the implanted crystal cross sections. The comparison of the crystal damage profiles obtained by fitting EBS/C spectra with the corresponding ones obtained with the μR and SEM techniques shows very good consistency between them.