Coupled heat transfer and fluid dynamics modeling of high-temperature SiC solution growth

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 312; no. 2; pp. 155 - 163
• Main Authors: Mercier, Frédéric, Dedulle, Jean-Marc, Chaussende, Didier, Pons, Michel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: A1. Computer simulation; A1. Fluid flows; A1. Mass transfer; A2. Growth from high-temperature solutions; A2. Top-seeded solution growth; B2. Semiconducting materials; Chemical Sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Engineering Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Growth from solutions; Growth from vapor; Material chemistry; Materials; Materials science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Physics; Theory and models of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth, crystal morphology and orientation; A2. Top-seeded solution growth; 41.20.Gz; A1. Fluid flows; 47.11.Fg; A1. Mass transfer; A1. Computer simulation; B2. Semiconducting materials; A2. Growth from high-temperature solutions; 81.05.Hd; 81.10.Dn; TSSG method; Fluid flow; Polycrystals; Crystal seeds; Computerized simulation; Crystal growth from vapors; Wafers; Crystal growth from solutions; Modelling; Semiconductor materials; Theoretical study; Crucibles; Mass transfer; Silicon carbide; Growth mechanism; Heat transfer; seeded solution growth; Computer simulation; molten flow; single-crystals; liquid-phase; silicon-carbide cyrstals; Fluid flows; Top-seeded solution growth; Growth from high-temperature solutions; sublimation convection; bulk instabilities; Semiconducting materials
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2009.10.007

Despite its real advantages compared to seeded sublimation growth, SiC solution growth has never given convincing results. The difficulty of stabilizing the growth front, and thus avoiding any polycrystal formation results from a poor description and understanding of the coupled phenomena that occur in the crucible. This paper addresses the coupled heat transfer and fluid dynamic modeling of the SiC solution growth process, with special attention being paid to the different convective flows in the liquid. It is demonstrated that both Marangoni and electromagnetic convections have to be avoided. The configuration where the flow patterns in front of the crystal are driven only by crystal rotation, insures the most stable growth front. The correlation between calculated results and experiments is presented and a 3C–SiC wafer grown by the optimized process is shown.