A vapor phase epitaxial growth device comprises a reactor vessel and a wafer holder arranged within the reactor vessel. The wafer holder includes a wafer holding surface configured to hold a wafer with a wafer surface oriented substantially vertically downward. The device comprises a first material gas supply pipe configured to supply a first material gas and arranged below the wafer holding surface. The device comprises a second material gas supply pipe configured to supply a second material gas and arranged below the wafer holding surface. The device comprises a gas exhaust pipe configured to exhaust gases and arranged below the wafer holding surface. A distance between the gas exhaust pipe and an axis line passing through a center of the wafer holding surface is greater than distances between the axis line and each of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe.

A SiC film structure for obtaining a three-dimensional SiC film by forming the SiC film in an outer circumference of a substrate using a vapor deposition type film formation method and removing the substrate, the SiC film structure including: a main body having a three-dimensional shape formed of a SiC film and having an opening for removing the substrate; a lid configured to cover the opening; and a SiC coat layer configured to cover at least a contact portion between the main body and an outer edge portion of the lid and join the main body and the lid.

A method of manufacturing a SiC epitaxial wafer in which a SiC epitaxial layer is formed on a SiC single crystal substrate, the method including identifying a total number of large-pit defects caused by micropipes in the SiC single crystal substrate and large-pit defects caused by substrate carbon inclusions, both of which are contained in the SiC epitaxial layer, using microscopic and photoluminescence images. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a SiC epitaxial wafer in which a SiC epitaxial layer is formed on a single crystal substrate, the method including identifying locations of the large-pit defects caused by micropipes in the SiC single crystal substrate and the large-pit defects caused by substrate carbon inclusions in the SiC epitaxial layer, using microscopic and photoluminescence images.

A method of manufacturing a SiC epitaxial wafer in which a SiC epitaxial layer is formed on a SiC single crystal substrate, the method including identifying a total number of large-pit defects caused by micropipes in the SiC single crystal substrate and large-pit defects caused by substrate carbon inclusions, both of which are contained in the SiC epitaxial layer, using microscopic and photoluminescence images. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a SiC epitaxial wafer in which a SiC epitaxial layer is formed on a single crystal substrate, the method including identifying locations of the large-pit defects caused by micropipes in the SiC single crystal substrate and the large-pit defects caused by substrate carbon inclusions in the SiC epitaxial layer, using microscopic and photoluminescence images.

A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide epitaxial substrate includes: preparing a silicon carbide single-crystal substrate having a polytype of 4H and having a principal surface inclined at an angle θ from a {0001} plane in a <11-20> direction; growing a silicon carbide epitaxial layer on the principal surface having a basal plane dislocation, the basal plane dislocation having a portion extending in a <1-100> direction and a portion extending in a <11-20> direction; and irradiating the silicon carbide epitaxial layer with an ultraviolet light having a predetermined power and a predetermined wavelength for a predetermined period of time to stabilize the basal plane dislocation. After the irradiating, the basal plane dislocation does not move even when the basal plane dislocation is irradiated with an ultraviolet light having a power of 270 mW and a wavelength of 313 nm for 10 seconds.

A silicon carbide epitaxial substrate according to a present disclosure includes a silicon carbide substrate and a silicon carbide epitaxial layer disposed on the silicon carbide substrate. The silicon carbide epitaxial layer includes a boundary surface in contact with the silicon carbide substrate and a main surface opposite to the boundary surface. The main surface has an outer circumferential edge, an outer circumferential region extending within 5 mm from the outer circumferential edge, and a central region surrounded by the outer circumferential region. When an area density of double Shockley stacking faults in the outer circumferential region is defined as a first area density, and an area density of double Shockley stacking faults in the central region is defined as a second area density, the first area density is five or more times as large as the second area density, the second area density is 0.2 cm.sup.−2 or more.

A silicon carbide epitaxial substrate according to a present disclosure includes a silicon carbide substrate and a silicon carbide epitaxial layer disposed on the silicon carbide substrate. The silicon carbide epitaxial layer includes a boundary surface in contact with the silicon carbide substrate and a main surface opposite to the boundary surface. The main surface has an outer circumferential edge, an outer circumferential region extending within 5 mm from the outer circumferential edge, and a central region surrounded by the outer circumferential region. When an area density of double Shockley stacking faults in the outer circumferential region is defined as a first area density, and an area density of double Shockley stacking faults in the central region is defined as a second area density, the first area density is five or more times as large as the second area density, the second area density is 0.2 cm.sup.−2 or more.

A silicon carbide single crystal wafer and a preparation method therefor, a silicon carbide crystal and a preparation method therefor, and a semiconductor device. The surface of the silicon carbide single crystal wafer is such that an included angle between a normal direction and a c direction is 0-8 degrees, and aggregated dislocations on the silicon carbide single crystal wafer are less than 300/cm.sup.2; the aggregated dislocation is a dislocation aggregated condition in which the distance between the geometric centers of any two corrosion pits in the corrosion pits obtained after corrosion of melted KOH is less than 80 microns. Even if the dislocation density is relatively high, the aggregated dislocation density is relatively small, thereby increasing the yield of a silicon carbide-based devices.

A silicon carbide single crystal wafer and a preparation method therefor, a silicon carbide crystal and a preparation method therefor, and a semiconductor device. The surface of the silicon carbide single crystal wafer is such that an included angle between a normal direction and a c direction is 0-8 degrees, and aggregated dislocations on the silicon carbide single crystal wafer are less than 300/cm.sup.2; the aggregated dislocation is a dislocation aggregated condition in which the distance between the geometric centers of any two corrosion pits in the corrosion pits obtained after corrosion of melted KOH is less than 80 microns. Even if the dislocation density is relatively high, the aggregated dislocation density is relatively small, thereby increasing the yield of a silicon carbide-based devices.

A method of single crystal growth includes disposing a polycrystalline source material in a chamber of a single crystal growth apparatus, disposing a seed layer in the chamber of the single crystal growth apparatus, wherein the seed layer is fixed below a lid of the single crystal growth apparatus, heating the polycrystalline source material by a heater of the single crystal growth apparatus to deposit a semiconductor material layer on the seed layer, and after depositing the semiconductor material layer, providing a coolant gas at a backside of the lid to cool down the seed layer and the semiconductor material layer.