Hydrogen processed 6H:SiC(0001)

Surface of 6H silicon carbide, (0001) after hydrogen processing. 2 µm scan, 7 nm Z range, captured in AC mode on the Cypher. Most of the major horizontal steps are triple bilayer steps 0.75 nm tall, each corresponding to half of the ABCACB unit cell. Triangular pits on the terraces are 0.25 nm deep, the thickness of a single SiC bilayer. The threefold symmetry of this surface is evident in the triangular pits. Sample courtesy Nathan Guisinger, Hong Zheng, and John Mitchell - Argonne National Laboratory.