Vanadium Doped SiC Single Crystals and Method Thereof
AssigneeII-VI Incorporated
InventorsIlya Zwieback, Thomas E. Anderson, Avinash K. Gupta, Michael C. Nolan, Bryan K. Brouhard, Gary E. Ruland
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Abstract
A sublimation grown SiC single crystal includes vanadium dopant incorporated into the SiC single crystal structure via introduction of a gaseous vanadium compound into a growth environment of the SiC single crystal during growth of the SiC single crystal.
Claims16
A method of growing vanadium-doped SiC single crystals comprising:
- (a) providing a growth crucible having SiC source material and a SiC single crystal seed in spaced relation therein;
- (b) heating the growth crucible of step (a) such that the SiC source material is heated to sublimation and a temperature gradient forms between the SiC source material and the SiC single crystal seed that causes the sublimated SiC source material to be transported to and precipitate on the SiC single crystal seed thereby growing a SiC crystal on the SiC single crystal seed;
- and
- (c) concurrent with step (b), introducing into the growth crucible a doping gas mixture that includes a carrier gas and a gaseous vanadium compound such that the growing SiC crystal is doped during the growth thereof with vanadium from the gaseous vanadium compound.
An apparatus for growing vanadium-doped SiC single crystals comprising:
- a growth crucible inside of a sealed chamber, the growth crucible having SiC source material and a SiC single crystal seed in spaced relation therein;
- a gas conduit connected to the growth crucible via the chamber and operative for delivering a doping gas mixture comprised of a carrier gas and a gaseous vanadium compound to the growth crucible;
- a heater for heating the growth crucible such that the SiC source material is heated to sublimation and a temperature gradient forms between the SiC source material and the SiC single crystal seed that causes the sublimated SiC source material to be transported to and precipitate on the SiC single crystal seed causing a SiC crystal to grow on the SiC single crystal seed;
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- a source of the gaseous vanadium compound coupled to the gas conduit.
A sublimation grown SiC single crystal including vanadium dopant incorporated into the SiC single crystal via introduction of a gaseous vanadium compound into a growth environment of the SiC single crystal during growth of the SiC single crystal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.