Multiseed Solution Growth of 4H-SiC Single Crystals

A novel growth technique called “multiseed solution growth” (MSSG) was developed to increase the yield and reduce the cost of SiC production. In this work, four 1 inch P-type 4H-SiC bulk crystals were obtained in a single growth process. The high crystal quality was achieved by antiparallel flow on the entire seed surface, as the opposite directions of the step-flow and solution flow during solution growth create a smooth surface without solvent inclusions and foreign polytypes. The growth temperature distribution, flow pattern, and growth rates were predicted by a 3D numerical model, indicating its advantages in offering insights into nonaxisymmetric seed crystal settings and unidirectional solution flow. According to the surface stability on the 4° off vicinal surface, we discussed the formation of the tilted growth surface of the as-grown crystals and proposed a mechanism for macroscopic surface reconstruction of 4H-SiC. Our study confirmed the off-axis SiC growing quality under unidirectional solution flow. Scale-up of MSSG-SiC growth could be an optional technique for growing cost-effective bulk SiC crystals.