The polarity determination process of sputter-deposited aluminum nitride (AlN) on metals has been analyzed using aberration corrected atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscope. Direct growth of c-axis orientated AlN on face centered cubic metals (fcc) (111) with the local epitaxy has been observed, and the polarity was determined at the AlN/metal interface. We found that the AlN polarity can be controlled by the base metal layer: N-polarity AlN grows on Pt(111) while Al-polarity AlN forms on Al(111). Based on these results, the growth mechanism of AlN on metals is discussed.

The effect of H2 carrier gas on the growth rate during the trench filling using CVD epitaxial growth was investigated in a wide pressure range (10∼38 kPa). It is found that, in the entire pressure range, reducing H2 flow rate can increase the filling rate (the growth rate inside trench) and the filling efficiency (the thickness ratio between epilayer on trench bottom and mesa top), which means a high productivity and a low risk of void defects. The filling rate and efficiency of ∼1.5 μm/h and ∼18 respectively was achieved at 38 kPa.

Two kinds of defective growth in 4H-SiC trench filling were found to be associated with the compositional ratio of supplied gases. An input HCl/SiH4 ratio below 35 leads to overgrowth around the mesa, forming voids. Overetching on the mesa induces an etched mesa when HCl is supplied in excess, e.g., HCl/SiH4 > 65 (SiH4 = 30 sccm). Thus, an empirical window for nondefective growth is discerned. It also contains a high-filling-rate area around HCl/SiH4 ∼50, which proves well-proportioned etching and deposition reactions, and 25-µm-deep trenches (aspect ratio of ∼11) are successfully filled at a rate as high as 4.3 µm/h.

By inspecting the CVD growth parameters, such as the flow rates of HCl and H2 carrier gases, the pressure and the C/Si ratio, the trench filling in a high-rate mode with a high growth rate on the bottom and a relatively low growth rate on the mesa top was carried out. 4H-SiC trenches with the depths of 48 and 55 μm have been completely filled at the rates of 6.2 and 5.5 μm/h, respectively.

By mapping the source and HCl flow rates dependent growth rates, the evolving trend of a quasi-selective epitaxial growth (quasi-SEG) that growing very thin epilayer on mesa top and ensuring an extremely low risk of voids defect generation was firstly figured out on a 5-μm 4H-SiC trench. Then, basing on the acquired knowledge, a 25-μm 4H-SiC trench with an aspect ratio up to ~10 was completely filled in the quasi-SEG mode.