We have used slow positron beam-based positron lifetime spectroscopy to study positron diffusion in thick epitaxial n-type 6H-SiC layers. The layers are considerably thicker than the maximum positron penetration depth, and can therefore, be treated as homogeneous semi-infinite bulk material in an analysis including the time-dependent diffusion of a single group of probe particles. Temperature-dependent measurements show a reduction in positron diffusion at low temperatures, which has been interpreted by an increase in trapping to negatively charged defect states. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.