Effects of irradiation with 8-MeV protons on $n$-3$C$-SiC heteroepitaxial layers

The effects of 8-MeV proton irradiation on $n$-3$C$-SiC epitaxial layers grown by sublimation on semi-insulating 4$H$-SiC substrates are studied. Changes in the sample parameters were recorded by the Hall-effect method and judged from photoluminescence spectra. The Hall method was employed to distinguish between the effects of irradiation on the charge-carrier concentration and mobility. It is found that the charge-carrier removal rate $(V_d)$ is $\sim$110 cm$^{-1}$. Full compensation of the samples with an initial charge-carrier concentration of $\sim$6.5 $\times$ 10$^{17}$ cm$^{-3}$ is observed at irradiation doses of $\sim$6 $\times$ 10$^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$. It is found that the mobility at these doses decreased by only a factor of 2.5. Compared with 4$H$ and 6$H$ silicon carbide, no significant increase in the intensity of so-called defect-related photoluminescence is observed.