Papers by Author: Tangali S. Sudarshan

Abstract: The temperature dependence of the carrier lifetime was measured in n-type 4H-SiC epilayers of varying Z1/2 deep defect concentrations and layer thicknesses in order to investigate the recombination processes controlling the carrier lifetime in low- Z1/2 material. The results indicate that in more recently grown layers with lower deep defect concentrations, surface recombination tends to dominate over carrier capture by other bulk defects. Low-injection lifetime measurements were also found to provide a convenient method to assess the surface band bending and surface trap density in samples with a significant surface recombination rate.

Abstract: In this work the analysis of thermal diffusion of boron carried out from vapor phase was performed. Two-branch diffusion associated with kick-out and substitution mechanisms was observed. The activation energy and prefactor were calculated from Arrhenius plot for each diffusion branch. It has been established that the surface layer of diffused boron mostly consists of shallow boron acceptors, while the tail of the diffusion profile has mostly deep level D centers.

Abstract: In this work we report the measurement of minority carrier lifetimes using the time resolved photoluminescence technique. It was found that 4H-SiC homo-epilayers grown using chlorine-based precursors have longer carrier lifetimes if used in conjunction with a tantalum carbide coated (TaC-coated) graphite susceptor rather than a SiC-coated graphite susceptor. Longer carrier lifetimes were obtained by optimal combinations of precursor gases and susceptor type. The controllable variation in lifetime from 250 ns to 9.9 s was demonstrated.

Abstract: In this work we identified the nucleation sites of inverted pyramid defects in 4H-SiC epilayers using AFM and KOH etching and proposed a mechanism for its formation. Partial dislocations, bounding the stacking faults, mostly aligned along the <11-20> directions, were found at the base of the inverted pyramid defects. It is shown that the basal plane dislocations, serve as nucleation centers for stacking faults, and eventually the formation of inverted pyramid defects. A geometrical model is formulated to explain the formation mechanism of inverted pyramid defects.

Abstract: The effects of measurement technique and measurement conditions (injection level, temperature) on the measured carrier lifetimes in n- 4H-SiC epilayers are investigated. For three optical measurement techniques, it is shown that the high and low injection lifetimes can vary dramatically. Differences in the lifetime for varying injection level and temperature are approached both experimentally and via carrier dynamics simulations, assuming Z1/Z2 as the dominant defect. Reasonable agreement between measured and calculated behavior is obtained, as is insight into the recombination kinetics associated with the lifetime limiting defect.

Abstract: Triangular defects and inverted pyramid type defects formed during homoepitaxial growth on 4H-SiC Si face, 4° off-cut towards [11-20] direction have been investigated. Growth parameters responsible for triangular defect formation were identified and optimized for its reduction in this study. It was found that although the high temperature reduces the density of inverted pyramid type defects, it is not the only remedy for reducing their density and cleanliness of susceptor along with the initial growth condition plays a major role in the formation of these defects.

Abstract: In this work the problem of growth rate decaying during growth is considered. A new design and growth profiles are suggested in order to reduce deviations of growth parameters during the process of growth.

Abstract: 4H-SiC samples implanted with 1020 Al were annealed at various temperatures with a BN/AlN or graphite cap, and there morphological, structural, and electrical properties are compared. No blow holes were observed in either cap. Some Si out-diffuses through the graphite cap which results in a rougher surface and a structurally modified region near the surface. The BN/AlN cap annealed at 1800°C cannot be readily removed, whereas the graphite cap can be removed easily after any annealing temperature. The sheet resistances for both types of samples were about the same.

Abstract: In this study, we performed a statistical analysis of 500 Ni Schottky diodes distributed across a 2-inch, n-type 4H-SiC wafer with an epilayer grown by chemical vapor deposition. A majority of the diodes displayed ideal thermionic emission when under forward bias, whereas some diodes showed ‘double-barrier’ characteristics with a ‘knee’ in the low-voltage log I vs. V plot. X-ray topography (XRT) and polarized light microscopy (PLM) revealed no correlations between screw dislocations and micropipes and the presence of double-barrier diodes. Depth resolved cathodoluminescence (DRCLS) indicated that certain deep-level states are associated with the observed electrical variations.

Abstract: We have used depth-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy (DRCLS) to correlate subsurface deep level emissions and double barrier current-voltage (I-V) characteristics across an array of Ni/4H-SiC diodes on the same epitaxial wafer. These results demonstrate not only a correspondence between these optical features and measured barrier heights, but they also suggest that such states may limit the range of SB heights in general. DRCLS of near-ideal diodes show a broad 2.45 eV emission at common to all diode areas and associated with either impurities or inclusions. Strongly non-ideal diodes exhibit additional defect emissions at 2.2 and 2.65 eV. On the other hand, there is no correlation between the appearance of morphological defects observed by polarized light microscopy or X-ray topography and the presence of double barrier characteristics. The DRCLS observations of defect level transitions that correlate with non-ideal Schottky barriers suggest that these sub-surface defect features can be used to predict Schottky barrier behavior.