VLS mechanism was used for growing boron doped homoepitaxial SiC layers on 4H-SiC(0 00 1) 8 degrees off substrate. Si-based melts were fed by propane in the temperature range 1450-1500 degrees C. Two main approaches were studied to incorporate boron during growth: (1) adding elemental B in the initial melt, with two different compositions: Si(90)B(10) and Si(27)Ge(68)B(5); the growth was performed at 1500 degrees C; (2) adding B(2)H(6) to the gas phase during growth with a melt composition of Si(25)Ge(75): the growth was performed at 1450 degrees C. In most cases, the growth time was limited by liquid loss. The longest growth duration (1 h) was obtained when adding B(2)H(6) to the gas phase. In the case of Si(90)B(10) melt, the surface morphology exhibits large and parallel terraces whereas the step front is more undulated when adding Ge. Raman and photoluminescence characterizations performed on these layers confirmed the 4H polytype of the layers in addition to the presence of B, which results in a strong B-N donor-acceptor band. The thickness and the growth rate were determined by micro-Infrared spectroscopy. Particle Induced gamma-ray Emission (PIGE) was tentatively used to detect B incorporation inside the grown layers. These results were compared to SIMS measurements from which B concentration was found to vary from 10(18) to 10(18) at cm(-3). (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.