Diffusion of light elements in 4H– and 6H–SiC

Deuterium and lithium were introduced in p-type SiC by implantation of 20 keV 2H+or 30 keV 7Li+ions in order to form a diffusion source. The samples were subsequently annealed in vacuum in the temperature range 400–700°C for 0.25 to 16 h. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was used to measure the deuterium and the lithium distribution after heat treatments. Both deuterium and lithium readily decorate the bombardment-induced defects in the vicinity of the ion implantation profile and they are also trapped, most likely by residual boron impurities, during diffusion into the bulk. An effective diffusion coefficient, reflecting the dissociation of trapped lithium, with an activation energy of 2.1 eV is extracted for lithium diffusion in p-type 6H SiC. Furthermore, a capture radius for trapping (most likely by boron) of deuterium is estimated as 10 Å.