Effect of Hot-zone Aperture on the Growth Behavior of SiC Single Crystal Produced via Top-seeded Solution Growth Method

The top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) method is an effective approach for the growth of high-quality SiC single crystals. In this method, the temperature gradient in the melt is the key factor determining the crystal growth rate and crystal quality. In this study, the effects of the aperture at the top of the hot-zone on the growth of the SiC single crystal obtained using the TSSG method were evaluated using multiphysics simulations. The temperature distribution and C concentration profile in the Si melt were taken into consideration. The simulation results showed that the adjustment of the aperture at the top of the hot-zone and the temperature gradient in the melt could be finely controlled. The surface morphology, crystal quality, and polytype stability of the grown SiC crystals were investigated using optical microscopy, high-resolution X-ray diffraction, and micro-Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The simulation and experimental results suggested that a small temperature gradient at the crystal-melt interface is suitable for growing high-quality SiC single crystals via the TSSG method.