Investigation of single crystal 4H-SiC growth by the Solvent-Laser Heated Floating Zone technique

The Solvent-Laser Heated Floating Zone (solvent-LHFZ) growth technique has been implemented to grow long single crystal silicon carbide (SiC) fibers. This technique combines the long fiber growth ability of laser heated floating zone with crystal growth by traveling solvent method's ability to grow single crystal SiC. This paper presents a complete look at the initial SiC growth study by solvent-LHFZ. This study shows that solvent-LHFZ readily grows single crystal SiC, growth rates are a function of both growth temperature and carbon concentration in the crystal growth source material, solvent incorporation is a function of carbon concentration in the crystal growth source material, and that an ordered growth front must be achieved in order to grow a long single crystal SiC fiber.