A new type of extended defect was identified in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial epilayers. The defect has a characteristic trapezoidal shape with parallel sides perpendicular to the off-cut direction in ultraviolet photoluminescence intensity maps. Structural characterization of the defect using a transmission electron microscope revealed that the trapezoid defect consisted of multiple Frank type stacking faults. The faults originate in the substrate and propagate into the epilayer during epitaxy. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.