Papers by Author: Marek Skowronski

Abstract: We have employed low-temperature photoluminescence to estimate the total residual N concentration in semi-insulating (SI) SiC substrates where all N shallow donors are compensated in the dark. The ratio of the nitrogen-bound exciton line (Qo) to the free excitonic emission (I77) as a function of excitation power density (Pexc) was tracked for several SI 4H-SiC samples with varying residual N concentration (~ 7x1014 – 5.2x1016 cm-3). Most notably, a linear relationship was found between Qo/I77 and [N] for [N] < 1x1016 cm-3 while a sub-linear behavior was observed for samples with higher N levels. This technique should be particularly valuable to map [N] where the levels are close to or below the present SIMS detection limit of ~ 5-7 x 1014 cm-3. Results obtained for a limited number of low n-type and SI 6H-SiC substrates are also presented.

Abstract: Deep electron and hole traps were studied in a series of high purity 6H-SiC single crystals grown by Halide Chemical Vapor Deposition (HCVD) method at various C/Si flow ratios and at temperatures between 2000 oC and 2100 oC. Characterization included Low Temperature Photoluminescence (LTPL), Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS), Minority Carrier Transient Spectroscopy (MCTS), and Thermal Admittance Spectroscopy (TAS) measurements. Concentrations of all deep traps were shown to strongly decrease with increased C/Si flow ratio and with increased growth temperature. The results indicate that the majority of deep centers in 6H-SiC crystals grown by HCVD are due to native defects or complexes of native defects promoted by Si-rich growth conditions. The observed growth temperature dependence of residual donor concentration and traps density is explained by increasing the effective C/Si ratio at higher temperatures for the same nominal ratio of C and Si flows.

Abstract: Carrier lifetimes and the dominant electron and hole traps were investigated in a set of thick (9-104mm) undoped 4H-SiC epitaxial layers grown by CVD homoepitaxy. Deep trap spectra were measured by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) with electrical or optical injection, while lifetimes were measured by room temperature time-resolved photoluminescence (PL). The main electron traps detected in all samples were due to Ti, Z1/Z2 centers, and EH6/EH7 centers. Two boron-related hole traps were observed with activation energies of 0.3 eV (boron acceptors) and 0.6 eV (boron-related D centers). The concentration of electron traps decreased with increasing layer thickness and increased toward the edge of the wafers. PL lifetimes were in the 400 ns-1800 ns range with varying injection and generally correlated with changes in the density of Z1/Z2 and to a lesser extent the EH6/EH7 electron traps. However, the results of DLTS measurements on p-i-n diode structures suggest that the capture of injected holes is much more efficient for the Z1/Z2 traps compared to the EH6/EH7 centers making the Z1/Z2 more probable candidates for the role of lifetime killers. A good fit of the thickness dependence of the measured lifetimes to the usual analytical form was obtained assuming that Z1/Z2 is the dominant hole recombination center and that the surface recombination velocity was 2500 cm/sec.

Abstract: Structure of the “carrot” defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxial layers deposited by CVD has been investigated by plan-view and cross-sectional transmission x-ray topography, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and KOH etching. The carrot defects nucleate at the substrate/epilayer interface at the emergence points of threading screw dislocations propagating from the substrate. The typical defect consists of two stacking faults: one in the prismatic plane with second one in the basal plane. The faults are connected by a stair-rod dislocation with Burgers vector 1/n[10-10] with n>3 at the cross-over. The basal plane fault is of Frank-type. Carrot defects are electrically active as evidenced by contrast in EBIC images indicating enhanced carrier recombination rate. Presence of carrot defects in the p-i-n diodes results in higher pre-breakdown reverse leakage current and approximately 50% lower breakdown voltage compared to the nominal value.

Abstract: Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to investigate the extended defects in 3C-SiC films deposited on atomically flat 4H-SiC mesas. The nominal layer thickness was 10 μm and was considerably larger than the critical thickness determined by either the Matthews and Blakeslee or People and Bean models. Threading dislocation densities determined by KOH etching are far below densities typical of relaxed heteroepitaxial layers, down to as low as 104cm-2 densities found in 4H-SiC. Misfit dislocations with Burgers vectors of <11 2 0> were observed in planes parallel to the 3C/4H SiC interface. These defects were interpreted as due to nucleation of dislocation half loops at mesa edges and glide along the 3C/4H interface.

Abstract: The structure of the “star” defect in 4H-SiC substrates and its effects on the extended defect structures in the epilayers were studied by molten KOH etching and transmission x-ray topography. Star defects consist of a center region with high densities of threading dislocations (both edge and screw types) and six arms of dislocation arrays extending along <11-20> directions. In addition, multiple linear dislocation arrays extending perpendicular to the off-cut direction were observed in the epilayers. Dislocation arrays extending along <11-20> directions are consistent with the slip bands generated by the prismatic slip: a/3<11-20>{1-100}. Bands of linear dislocation arrays extending perpendicular to the off-cut direction correspond to the threading edge dislocations nucleated during epitaxial growth.

Abstract: Forward voltage instability, or Vf drift, has confounded high voltage SiC device makers for the last several years. The SiC community has recognized that the root cause of Vf drift in bipolar SiC devices is the expansion of basal plane dislocations (BPDs) into Shockley Stacking Faults (SFs) within device regions that experience conductivity modulation. In this presentation, we detail relatively simple procedures that reduce the density of Vf drift inducing BPDs in epilayers to <10 cm-2 and permit the fabrication of bipolar SiC devices with very good Vf stability. The first low BPD technique employs a selective etch of the substrate prior to epilayer growth to create a near on-axis surface where BPDs intersect the substrate surface. The second low BPD technique employs lithographic and dry etch patterning of the substrate prior to epilayer growth. Both processes impede the propagation of BPDs into epilayers by preferentially converting BPDs into threading edge dislocations (TEDs) during the initial stages of epilayer growth. With these techniques, we routinely achieve Vf stability yields of up to 90% in devices with active areas from 0.006 to 1 cm2, implying that the utility of the processes is not limited by device size.

Abstract: Bulk n+-4H-SiC wafers (n=1-2×1019 cm-3) containing annealing-induced stacking faults were examined by Raman scattering. The coupled plasmon-LO mode was observed to shift in a manner consistent with 1018 cm-3 doping in the 4H-SiC. Numerical simulations were performed using a self-consistent Poisson-Schrödinger solver and agree well with the experimental observations of carrier transfer from the 4H-SiC into the 3C-SiC stacking faults. The Raman data also shows that the 3C stacking faults induce a tensile strain on the surrounding 4H-SiC regions.

Abstract: The effects of H2 addition to the growth ambient during physical vapor transport (PVT) growth of 6H and 4H SiC were investigated using SIMS, DLTS and Hall effect measurements. Using this hybrid physical-chemical vapor transport (HPVT) approach, boules were grown using Ar-H2 and He-H2 mixtures with H2 concentrations up to 50 at%. Thermodynamic modeling suggests that addition of H2 improves the carbon transport in HPVT compared to standard PVT. This should lead to a substantial decrease in the concentration of residual N donors and the concentration of electron traps. This is confirmed by the experimental results. As expected, the source transport rate increased as H2 was added to the growth environment due to increased C transport. The background nitrogen concentration and the free electron density decreased significantly with increasing H2 concentration. The formation of electron traps (activation energies of 0.4 eV, 0.6-0.65 eV, 0.7 eV, 0.9 eV and 1 eV) was also strongly suppressed. These changes were observed for H2 concentrations as low as 4 at%. The decreased N concentration improves the ability to produce high resistivity SiC material, and for H2 concentrations as high as 10-25%, the very first wafers cut from the seed end of the boules have a resistivity exceeding 106
cm.