Rocking Curve Imaging Investigation of the Long-Range Distortion Field between Parallel Dislocations with Opposite Burgers Vectors

Abstract

We observe a long-range distortion field between parallel dislocations with opposite Burgers vectors in a platelet-shaped single crystal of 4H-SiC with a low dislocation density (~103 cm/cm3). This distortion field is in the µradian range when the distance D between dislocations is in the ~50–250 µm range. We were able to characterise this weak distortion field through Rocking Curve Imaging (RCI), a highly sensitive Bragg diffraction imaging technique using monochromatic synchrotron radiation. From the experimental images, we generate maps of the angle of maximum reflectance (“peak position”) that provide a measurement of the local lattice orientation. Deviations from the crystal matrix orientation are associated with the long-range distortion field around dislocations. Between parallel dislocations with opposite Burgers vectors, this distortion does not decay to zero but towards a constant value α. We propose a simple model considering the angular parameter α characterising the distortion. This model indicates that α should roughly vary as 1/D. This appears to be in fair agreement with our experimental data.