Influence of 6H–SiC(0001) substrate surface morphology on the growth of AlN epitaxial layers

Epitaxial AlN films were grown on 6H–SiC(0001) substrates using an ammonia supersonic seeded beam. The films grown on substrates etched in hydrogen at high temperatures were shown by ion beam channeling to exhibit a higher degree of order relative to those grown on the as-received substrates. Cross-sectional electron microscopy revealed sharper SiC–AlN interfaces with extended flat terraces. In particular, very few stacking mismatch boundaries were observed to originate from the 1.5 nm steps which correspond to the 6H stacking sequence of the substrate.