SiC homoepitaxial layers on 4H-SiC substrates implanted with Al to a dose less than or equal to7.00 x 10(15) cm(-2) were investigated. Epilayers of smooth surface morphology were obtained for the Al dose less than or equal to1.84 x 10(15) cm(-2). For the epilayer on the substrate with the Al dose of 1.84 x 10(15) cm(-2), no defect was observed by TEM, and no decrease in electron Hall mobility was measured. Out-diffusion of the implanted Al atoms in the substrate into the epilayers was not observed by SIMS. An accumulation epilayer-channel MOSFET was fabricated on the Al-ion-implanted substrate. Field effect mobility as high as 64 cm(2)/Vs was obtained. The results demonstrate that the epilayers are promising for fabricating SiC power device structures. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.