Papers by Author: Hiroaki Saitoh

Abstract: Dislocations in highly doped n-type 4H-SiC (n+-SiC, n>1019 cm-3) substrate have been studied by means of electron beam induced current (EBIC). Ni/n-SiC/n+-SiC/Al structure was fabricated in order to simultaneously observe the dislocations in n-SiC epilayer and n+-SiC substrate. We have found that dark dots in the EBIC image correspond to threading screw dislocations (TSDs) and threading edge dislocations (TEDs) with the former being relatively darker. Short dark lines along off-cut are attributed to basal plane dislocations (BPDs) in the epilayer; and the randomly oriented long dark lines are caused by the BPDs in the substrate. The classification of the dislocations by EBIC has been examined by wet etching in KOH+Na2O2.

Abstract: We have proposed a new wet etching recipe using molten KOH and Na2O2 as the etchant (“KN etching”) for dislocation revelation in highly doped n-type 4H-SiC (n+-4H-SiC). Threading screw dislocations (TSDs) and threading edge dislocations (TEDs) have been clearly revealed as hexagonal etch pits differing in pit sizes, and basal plane dislocations (BPDs) as seashell-shaped pits. This new etching recipe has provided a solution to the problem that conventional KOH etching is not effective for dislocation identification in 4H-SiC if the electron concentration is high (>mid-1018 cm-3). We have investigated the effect of SiC off-cut angle on KN etching and it has been shown that the “KN etching” is applicable for the n+-SiC substrate with off-angle from 0o to 8o.

Abstract: The structures of defects that form different types of etch pits on highly N-doped 4H-SiC substrates, that were produced by a sublimation method, after molten KOH etching were characterized. It was found that most of the dislocations in the epitaxial layer originated from defects at the surface of substrate whose etch pit structures were clearly different from the conventional structures. The etch pits were classified into drop, oval, round and caterpillar pits. The drop and oval pits were concluded to be formed by the deformation of conventional etch pits. Round pits were concluded to originate from half loop dislocations and were transformed to complex dislocations by epitaxial growth. Analysis by transmission electron microscopy measurement indicates that slipped edge dislocations (or screw dislocations) on the basal plane form caterpillar pits.

Abstract: High-speed solution growth using Si-Cr based melt has been performed on on-axis 4H-SiC(0001) at a high temperature of about 2000°C. The maximum growth rate for one-hour growth reaches to 1120 m/h, while the typical growth rate of growth for 2h is about 500 m/h. A large crystal that is about 25 mm in diameter and 1650 m in thickness can be obtained by growth for 5h. The crystal quality is confirmed to be homogeneous by X-ray diffraction and X-ray topography, because FWHM is less than 30 arcsec. Etch pit density of the threading dislocations in the grown crystal is 103-104 cm-2, and that of basal plane dislocation is 2×102-3×103 cm-2. Resistivity of the crystals grown by the solution growth is comparable to those of crystals grown by physical vapor transport technique.

Abstract: In this study, we have investigated N2O oxidation of various off-angled 4H-SiC (0001) epilayers and characterized the properties of MOS interfaces. The oxide thickness almost linearly increases with increasing off-angle. Oxidation on highly off-angled (0001) 4H-SiC is faster than that on 8o off-axis (0001). The off-angle dependence of Dit is very small for the MOS capacitors in the off-angle range from 8o to 30o. The depth profiles of carbon and nitrogen atoms near the MOS interface on 15o off-axis 4H-SiC(0001) are similar to those on 8o off-axis (0001).

Abstract: We have investigated the morphology and doping characteristics of 4H-SiC epilayers grown on 13o-22o off-axis (0001) substrates by horizontal hot-wall CVD. Step bunching is not observed on 18o off-axis substrates as well as on other substrates with large off-angles. The rms roughness is a minimum (as small as 0.10 nm) on 18o off-axis (0001). Under C-rich condition (C/Si >1.0), the donor concentration increases by increasing the off-angle, when the off-angle is larger than 15o. This trend in doping characteristic is enhanced in CVD growth at 1450-1500oC. At a high temperature of 1600oC, however, the off-angle dependence of donor concentration is significantly reduced. Epitaxial growth on 4H-SiC(000-1) with large off-angles is also reported.

Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition of 4H-SiC on (0001) substrates with various off-angles from 1o to 45o has been investigated. On large-off-angled (15o-45o) substrates, very smooth surface morphology is obtained in the wide range of C/Si ratio. The micropipe dissociation during epitaxial growth is observed on 4o-45o off-angled substrates with a low C/Si ratio. The incorporation of nitrogen was dramatically suppressed by increasing C/Si ratio irrespective of substrate’s off-angle.