Electron paramagnetic resonance and theoretical studies of Nb in 4H- and 6H-SiC

High purity silicon carbide (SiC) materials are of interest from high-power high temperature applications across recent photo-voltaic cells to hosting solid state quantum bits, where the tight control of electrically, optically, and magnetically active point defects is pivotal in these areas. 4H- and 6H-SiC substrates are grown at high temperatures and the incorporation of transition metal impurities is common. In unintentionally Nb-doped 4H- and 6H-SiC substrates grown by high-temperature chemical vapor deposition, an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum with C1h symmetry and a clear hyperfine (hf) structure consisting of ten equal intensity hf lines was observed. The hf structure can be identified as due to the interaction between the electron spin S = 1/2 and the nuclear spin of ⁹³Nb. Additional hf structures due to the interaction with three Si neighbors were also detected. In 4H-SiC, a considerable spin density of ∼37.4% was found on three Si neighbors, suggesting the defect to be a complex between Nb and a nearby carbon vacancy (VC). Calculations of the ⁹³Nb and ²⁹Si hf constants of the neutral Nb on Si site, NbSi⁰, and the Nb-vacancy defect, NbSiVC⁰, support previous reported results that Nb preferentially forms an asymmetric split-vacancy (ASV) defect. In both 4H- and 6H-SiC, only one Nb-related EPR spectrum has been observed, supporting the prediction from calculations that the hexagonal-hexagonal defect configuration of the ASV complex is more stable than others.