Papers by Author: Hisayoshi Itoh

Abstract: Carbon antisite-vacancy pair (CSiVC) is a fundamental defect in SiC, and is theoretically predicted to be very stable in p-type materials. However, this pair was found only in the form of a negatively charged state (i.e., the SI5 center = CSiVC −) in n-type and semi-insulating 4H-SiC, and yet, its presence has not been shown in p-type SiC. In this report, we present the first EPR observation on positively charged CSiVC pairs in p-type 4H-SiC. By carefully examining p-type samples after electron irradiation, we found a pair of new defects with C3v and C1h symmetries. They correspond to “c-axial” pairs (C3v) and “basal” pairs (C1h) of CSiVC +, respectively. The positively charged pairs are characterized by a strong 13C hyperfine interaction due to a dangling bond on a carbon antisite (CSi), which is successfully resolved for the c-axial pairs.

Abstract: From the temperature dependence of the hole concentration p(T) in a lightly Al-doped 4H-SiC epilayer irradiated with several fluences of 200 keV electrons, the density of Al acceptors with 0.2 V E + eV decreases significantly with increasing fluence, whereas the density of unknown defects with 0.37 V E + eV increases with fluence and then decreases slightly. Although only C vacancies increase with fluence because 200 keV electrons can displace only C atoms, only the increase in the density of C monovacancies cannot explain the changes of p(T) by 200 keV electron irradiation. It may be necessary to consider the relationship between C vacancies and Al acceptors.

Abstract: Nitrogen (N) donors in SiC are partially deactivated either by Si+-/N+-co-implantation or by irradiation with electrons of 200 keV energy and subsequent annealing at temperatures above 1450°C; simultaneously the compensation is decreased. The free electron concentration and the formation of energetically deep defects in the processed samples are determined by Hall effect and deep level transient spectroscopy. A detailed theoretical treatment based on the density functional theory is conducted; it takes into account the kinetic mechanisms for the formation of N interstitial clusters and (N-vacancy)-complexes. This analysis clearly indicates that the (NC)4-VSi complex, which is thermally stable up to high temperatures and which has no level in the band gap of 4HSiC, is responsible for the N donor deactivation.

Abstract: The charge generated in 6H-SiC n+p diodes by oxygen (O) ion irradiation at energies between 6 and 15 MeV was evaluated using the Transient Ion Beam Induced Current (TIBIC). The signal peak of the transient current increases, and the fall-time decreases with increasing applied reverse bias. The value of collected charge increases with increasing applied reverse bias, and the saturation of the collected charge was observed in high reverse bias regions (e.g. above 70 V in the case of 12MeV O-irradiation). The charge generated in the deeper region than the depletion layer is collected due to the "funneling effect". Almost all charge generated in n+p SiC diodes by O-irradiation between 6 and 15 MeV is collected when the length of the depletion layer becomes longer than the projection range of ions.

Abstract: EPR spectra originating from phosphorus shallow donors occupying silicon sites in 3C-, 4H-, and 6H-SiC are identified by using CVD grown films in which the interference from the signals from the nitrogen shallow donors is practically absent. Phosphorus donors occupying both silicon and carbon sites are observed in high-energy phosphorus ion implanted semi-insulating 6H-SiC which was also free from the interference from the signals from the nitrogen shallow donors.

Abstract: We present new electron-paramagnetic-resonance (EPR) data on the HEI4/SI5 center in 4H-SiC. So far, the SI5 (SI-5) center has been observed only in as-grown SiC substrates; however, we found that it can be created by electron irradiation to commercial n-type 4H-SiC. The artificially created SI5 center, which we had preliminary called HEI4, was found to be identical with the SI5 center in as-grown SiC. A high-intensity HEI4/SI5 spectrum of irradiated SiC revealed clear hyperfine structures of 29Si and 13C, which enabled us to identify the origin of this center as a carbon antisite-vacancy pair in the negative charge state (CSi-VC –). We assessed its electronic levels using photo-EPR.

Abstract: Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies of the P6/P7 centers in 4H- and 6H-SiC are reported. The obtained principal values of the hyperfine tensors of C and Si neighbors are in good agreement with the values of the neutral divacancy (VCVSi 0) calculated by ab initio supercell calculations. The results suggest that the P6/P7 centers, which were previously assigned to the photo-excited triplet states of the carbon vacancy-carbon antisite pairs in the double positive charge state (VCCSi 2+), are related to the triplet ground states of the C3v/C1h configurations of VCVSi 0.