Papers by Author: Ruggero Anzalone

Abstract: In this paper we have studied the connection between crystal quality and electrical transport in 4H-SiC by simultaneous micro-photoluminescence (μPL) and micro-photocurrent (μPC) measurements. We have used a focused HeCd laser at 325nm (i.e. above bandgap) to measure with a spatial resolution of few microns both the μPL spectra and the I-V characteristics in 4H-SiC/NiSi Schottky diodes. We found that extended defects exhibiting a photoluminescence peak located at 2.9eV (i.e single Shockley or bar shaped stacking faults) can produce an increase of the measured PC whereas other defects, such as the (4,4) stacking fault, can be considered as ‘killer defects’, strongly reducing the photocurrent.

Abstract: The heteroepitaxial growth of 3C-SiC on Si (001) and Si (111) substrates deeply patterned at a micron scale by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition is shown to lead to space-filling isolated structures resulting from a mechanism of self-limitation of lateral expansion. Stacking fault densities and wafer bowing may be drastically reduced for optimized pattern geometries.

Abstract: The effect of the crystal quality and surface morphology on the electrical properties of MOS capacitors has been studied in devices manufactured on 3C-SiC epitaxial layers grown on Silicon (100) substrate. The interface state density, which represents one of the most important parameters for the 3C-SiC MOSFET development, has been determined through capacitance measurements. A cross-correlation between High Resolution X-ray Diffraction, AFM analysis and electrical conductance measurements has allowed determining the relationship between the crystalline quality and the interface state density. By improving the crystalline quality, a decrease of the interface state density down to 10¹⁰ cm^-2 eV^-1 was observed.

Abstract: The design, fabrication, early testing and material property assessment work related to the development of an opto-mechanical pressure sensor implemented with hetero-epitaxial 3C-SiC on silicon is described. The sensor is constituted by a single-crystal 3C-SiC membrane whose deflection upon pressure application is measured using a fiber-optic interferometric readout. The fabrication of sensor prototypes and micromachined 3C-SiC membranes for test purposes is described and the results of bulge tests on the membranes are reported. Functional characterization of the sensor prototypes in the pressure range 0-3 bar is also presented, showing good linearity and reproducibility of the sensor response, sensitivity of roughly 2 mV/bar and estimated pressure resolution around 0.5 bar on a 0-200 bar dynamic range.

Abstract: The following paper explores the development the bulge test technique combined with the micro-Raman analysis and a refined load-deflection model for high quality 3C-SiC squared-membranes. By the minimization of the total elastic energy, starting from the isotropic relation between the stress tensor and the strain tensor, it is possible to calculate the relationship between the maximum deflection and the applied pressure, in both regime of small and large deflection. From the measured breaking pressure through the refined model it is possible to evaluate the breaking strain of the membrane. Furthermore, the relationship between the measured shift of Raman Transverse Optical (TO) phonon modes and the total residual strain (Δa/a) within the epitaxial 3C-SiC layer was found.

Abstract: In this paper we investigate the role of the growth rate (varied by changing the Si/H₂ ratio and using TCS to avoid Si droplet formation) on the surface roughness (R_q), the density of single Shockley stacking faults (SSSF) and 3C-inclusions (i.e. epi-stacking faults, ESF). We find that optimized processes with higher growth rates allow to improve the films in all the considered aspects. This result, together with the reduced cost of growth processes, indicates that high growth rates should always be used to improve the overall quality of 4H-SiC homoepitaxial growths. Furthermore we analyze the connection between surface morphology and density of traps (D_it) at the SiO₂/SiC interface in fabricated MOS devices finding consistent indications that higher surface roughness (step-bunched surfaces) can improve the quality of the interface by reducing the D_it value.

Abstract: The aim of this work is to develop the bulge test technique combined with the micro-Raman analysis and a refined load-deflection model for high quality 3C-SiC squared-membranes. By the minimization of the total elastic energy, starting from the isotropic relation between the stress tensor and the strain tensor, it is possible to calculate the relationship between the maximum deflection and the applied pressure, in both regime of small and large deflection. Furthermore, the relationship between the measured shift of Raman Transverse Optical (TO) phonon modes and the total residual strain (Δa/a) within the epitaxial 3C-SiC layer was found and in order to understand the stress distribution within the membrane, TO Raman shift maps were performed along the corner and the border of the membrane.

Abstract: In this work we analyzed the variation of wafer curvature due to the growth of thin Si layers on top of 3C-SiC/Si films. The final Si/3C-SiC/Si hetero-structure, allows not only to have a deeper understanding of the stress within the different layers, but can also be used for MEMS applications, using the Si film as sacrificial layer in order to obtain 3C-SiC free-standing structure, or for electronic application, e.g. using the thin Si layer as high quality MOSFET channel and the SiC layer as the drift region. In details, the influence on wafer curvature by the growth of thin Si layer on top on the 3C-SiC/Si film as been studied by optical profilometer. A theoretical model was also applied in order to fit the measured curvature of the hetero-structure and optimize the system. Finally, in order to study the morphology of the hetero-structure micro-Raman spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) measurements has been performed.

Abstract: we study the surface morphology of homoepitaxially grown 4H silicon carbide in terms of growth rate, miscut direction of the substrate and post growth argon thermal annealings. All the results indicate that the final surface morphology is the result of a competition between energetic reorganization and kinetic randomness. Because in all observed conditions energetic reorganization favors surface ondulations (“step bunching”), out-of-equilibrium conditions are one of the keys to favor the reduction of the surface roughness to values below ~0.5 nm. We theoretically support these results using kinetics superlattice Monte Carlo simulations (KslMC)

Abstract: In this paper we study the influence two different post-growth processes on hetero-epitaxial 3C-SiC on Si substrate for 6 and 8 inches wafers. We studied the influence of wafer cutting process and the substrate partially etching. We find an increase of wafer curvature after each cut processes and every etching processes and a correspondent variation of the Raman shift. These result, confirmed by FEM, can be explained in term of the wafer symmetry breaking and the related relaxation under modified constrains due to the cutting and etching. The FEM analysis of the deformation state reveals a modification of the residual stress tensor which changes from a pure biaxial form to a more complicated one.