A strong contrast was observed in a conventional scanning electron microscope resembling the shape of stacking faults in epitaxial 4H silicon carbide layers. This contrast was seen at the location of degradation faults in bipolar diodes as well as far outside the device perimeter on the low n-type doped epitaxial layer. Photoluminescence measurements indicated that the nature of the observed features were stacking faults in the crystalline material. The intersections of the stacking faults with the sample surface was marked by long edges in the pattern of the step-bunching.