Papers by Author: Sergey A. Reshanov

Abstract: A reliable method for reducing the stacking faults (SFs) is demonstrated on the 3C-SiC (001) surface. It is a practical method based on Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of SF propagation during 3C-SiC epitaxial growth, which showed that introducing some discontinuity on the (001) surface enhanced SF reduction. The method is implemented by patterning on the 3C-SiC (001) surface and subsequent homo-epitaxial growth, and this sufficiently reduced the SF density to less than 400 cm^-1. A yield of 97.4 % was estimated for a device-ready area of 10 mm² by statistical measurements of SF density on the entire epitaxial layer surface.

Abstract: This paper reports on fabrication and modeling of 4H- and 6H-SiC metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetectors (PDs). MSM PDs have been fabricated on 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC epitaxial layers, and their performance analyzed by MEDICI simulation and measurements. The simulations were also used to optimize the sensitivity by varying the width and spacing of the interdigitated electrodes. The fabricated PDs with 2 µm wide metal electrodes and 3 µm spacing between the electrodes exhibited, under UV illumination, a peak current to dark current ratio of 105 and 104 in 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC, respectively. The measured spectral responsivity of 6H-SiC PDs was higher compared to that of 4H-SiC PDs, with a cutoff at 407 nm compared to 384 nm in 4H-SiC PDs. Also the peak responsivity occurred at a shorter wavelength in 6H material. A high rejection ratio between the photocurrent and dark current was found in both cases. These experimental results were in agreement with simulation.

Abstract: Quantitative efficacies of several methods for stacking fault (SF) reduction are evaluated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. SF density on a 3C–SiC {001} surface depends on interactions of adjoining SFs: annihilation between counter pairs of SFs and termination by orthogonal SF pairs. However, SFs are not entirely eliminated when growth occurs on undulant-Si and switch back epitaxy (SBE) due to spontaneous SF collimation that suppresses the annihilation probability of counter SFs. The MC simulation also reveals the efficacy of SF reduction method which includes the growth of 3C–SiC on finite area bounded by side walls. One can theoretically reduce the SF density below 100 cm^-1 on 3C–SiC {001} surface. A practical way for eliminating the SF by termination at side walls is demonstrated, and it clearly exhibits that the SF density can be reduced under 120 cm^-1.

Abstract: In this work we report on the growth and preparation of 3C-SiC(111) material for metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) application. In order to achieve reasonable material quality to prepare MOS capacitors several and crucial steps are needed: 1) heteroepitaxial growth of high quality 3C-SiC(111) layer by vapour-liquid-solid mechanism on 6H-SiC(0001) substrate, 2) surface polishing, 3) homoepitaxial re-growth by chemical vapour deposition and 4) use of an advanced oxidation process combining plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) SiO2 and short post-oxidation steps in wet oxygen. Combining all these processes the interface traps density (Dit)can be drastically decreased down to 1.2  1010 eV-1cm-2 at 0.63 eV below the conduction band. To our knowledge, these values are the best ever reported for SiC material in general and 3C-SiC in particular.

Abstract: The electrical properties of oxides fabricated on n-type 3C-SiC (001) using wet oxidation and an advanced oxidation process combining SiO2 deposition with rapid post oxidation steps have been compared. Two alternative SiO2 deposition techniques have been studied: the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and the low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The post-oxidized PECVD oxide is been demonstrated to be beneficial in terms of interface traps density and reliability.

Abstract: In this work, the electrical performance in terms of maximum current gain, ON-resistance and blocking capability has been compared for 4H-SiC BJTs passivated with different surface passivation layers. Variation in BJT performance has been correlated to densities of interface traps and fixed oxide charge, as evaluated through MOS capacitors. Six different methods were used to fabricate SiO2 surface passivation on BJT samples from the same wafer. The highest current gain was obtained for PECVD deposited SiO2 which was annealed in N2O ambient at 1100 °C during 3 hours. Variations in breakdown voltage for different surface passivations were also found, and this is attributed to differences in fixed oxide charge that can affect the optimum dose of the high voltage JTE termination.

Abstract: Intrinsic defects in 3C-SiC are generated by implantation of H+- and He+-ions or irra¬diation with high energy electrons. The defect parameters and the thermal stability of the observed defects are determined. The capture-cross-section of the W6-center is directly measured by variation of the filling pulse length. The charge state of the W6-center is obtained from double-correlated DLTS investigations according to the Poole-Frenkel effect.

Abstract: Aluminum-doped 4H-SiC samples were either irradiated with high-energy electrons (170 keV or 1 MeV) or implanted with a box-shaped He+-profile. Admittance spectroscopy (AS) and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) were employed to search for defect centers. AS spectra of as-grown as well as of electron-irradiated (170 keV or 1 MeV) 4H-SiC epilayers reveal the Al acceptor (ΔE(Al) = 200 meV) and an unknown defect (ΔE(SB) = 177 meV), while AS spectra of the He+-implanted and annealed sample show in addition to the Al-acceptor two energetically deeper acceptor-like defect centers (ΔE(RE3) = 255 meV and ΔE(KR3) = 375 meV). The KR3-center is not directly formed by the He+-implantation, it requires an annealing process. The DLTS spectra of the He+-implanted and annealed sample resolve a double-peak structure of the KR3-defect (ΔE(KR3A) = 380 meV and ΔE(KR3B) = 410 meV).

Abstract: This paper comprises a systematic study of the thermal stability of defect centers observed in n- and p-type 4H-SiC by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS); the defects are generated by irradiation with high-energy electrons of 170 keV or 1 MeV.

Abstract: In this paper we describe an effort to find correlations between low temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy (LTPL) and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) of electron irradiated samples annealed from 25 °C to 1700 °C in 100 °C steps. We report on thermal histories of defect centers created by 170 keV and 1 MeV electron irradiation, as observed by LTPL only. The DLTS results on "twin" samples are presented in a separate paper. Our results indicate that in n-type 4H SiC there is no correlation between the Z1/Z2 center in DLTS and the L1 peak of the DI center seen in LTPL. In p-type 4H SiC we do not find a correlation between a 350 meV DLTS peak above the valence band and the LTPL L1 peak of the DI center. Consequently, we cannot find evidence for a 350 meV ground state postulated in the “Pseudo–Donor” model [3].