Superficial and Interfacial Defects and Atomic Stress Evolution in 4H‐SiC Induced by Al+ Implantation and Post‐Implantation Annealing

Abstract

The exceptional properties of 4H‐SiC make it ideal for high‐power applications, yet the interplay between implantation defects, interface stress evolution, and annealing recovery remains poorly understood. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate Al+ implantation (0.9–5.4 × 1014 cm−2, 298–773 K) in 4H‐SiC, revealing: (1) post‐annealing induces opposing stress trends—interface stress increases due to defect aggregation and recrystallization, while bulk stress decreases via defect annihilation; (2) preexisting SSFs modify defect generation by acting as nucleation sites and altering local stress fields. These results provide critical insights for optimizing ion implantation and annealing processes in SiC device fabrication.