Defects in silicon carbide

Defects in various forms of SiC, both single crystal and polycrystalline, have been examined using transmission electron microscopy. Dislocations were not as common as stacking faults, which were observed in all materials examined. The mechanism of formation of stacking faults is discussed and two types of both intrinsic and extrinsic faults are shown possible. The stacking-fault energy of SiC was measured to be 1.9 ergs/cm² by the extended node method.