Papers by Author: Tomoaki Hatayama

Abstract: Crystallographic structures of 8H-and 10H-SiC crystals were analyzed by the Raman spectroscopy and diffraction methods. Two and four transverse-optical modes for 8H-and 10H-SiC were observed, and their values were different from those of 4H-and 6H-SiC. Crystallinity for the wide and narrow areas of these crystals was analyzed by the Laue diffraction and the transmission electron microscope, respectively. Based on these results, the stacking sequences of these polytype were discussed.

Abstract: A breakdown of a conventional trench SiC-MOSFET is caused by oxide breakdown at the bottom of the trench. We have fabricated a novel trench SiC-MOSFET with buried p+ regions and demonstrated the high breakdown voltage of 1700 V and the specific on-resistance of 3.5 mΩcm².

Abstract: The authors applied a thick gate oxide layer at the trench bottoms to 600 V class truncated V-groove MOSFETs of which MOS channels were formed on 4H-SiC (0-33-8) facets and validated the static and switching characteristics. The specific on-resistance and the threshold voltage were 3.6 mΩ cm² (V_GS=18 V, V_DS=1 V) and about 1 V (normally-off), respectively. The breakdown voltage of the MOSFET with a thick oxide layer was 1,125 V (I_DS=1 μA). The switching losses during turn-on and turn-off operations were estimated to be 105.8 μJ and 82.5 μJ (300 V, 10 A) at room temperature. The switching characteristics exhibited low temperature dependence for turn-on/off time.

Abstract: The photolytic hydrogen generation using sunlight attracts attention as a next generation energy technology. A key of this technology is a selection of materials for the photolysis and SiC is one of the candidate materials for this application. The conversion efficiency from the solar to the hydrogen energy would be affected by the carrier lifetime in SiC. Therefore, in this study, we measured carrier lifetimes in SiC and compared them with photocurrents in electrolytes that is directly correlated to the conversion efficiency.

Abstract: Effects of combination of NO and POCl₃ annealing on electrical properties and their stability of 4H-SiC MOS capacitors and MOSFETs were investigated. Channel mobility of MOSFETs processed with both NO and POCl₃ annealing did not exceed that of POCl₃ annealed MOSFETs. As for the stability of flat-band voltage and threshold voltage using a constant field stress test, the combined annealed sample indicated very stable characteristics compared with single annealed devices with NO or POCl₃. The reason for obtaining stable electrical properties is discussed based on nitridation and phosphorization effects at the interface.

Abstract: Solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiencies of water photolysis with epitaxially grown p-type 4H-, 6H- and 3C-SiC were estimated in the two electrode system. For all the polytypes, the efficiency with a Pt counter electrode in the two electrode system was very low compared with those in the three electrode system. However, when Ni was used as a counter electrode in the two electrode system, photocurrents were as large as the three electrode system. The estimated efficiencies seem to depend on the bandgap of SiC polytypes, and the highest solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency was 0.38% with 3C-SiC.

Abstract: We have characterized deep levels in as-grown and electron irradiated p-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers by the current deep-level transient spectroscopy (I-DLTS) method. A part of the samples were irradiated with electrons in order to introduce defects. As a result, we found that electron irradiation to p-type 4H-SiC created complex defects including carbon vacancy or interstitial. Moreover, we found that observed deep levels are different between before and after annealing, and thus annealing may change structures of defects.

Abstract: Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with phosphorus localized near the SiO₂/SiC interface were fabricated on 4H-SiC by direct POCl₃ treatment followed by SiO₂ deposition. Post-deposition annealing (PDA) temperature affected MOS device properties and phosphorus distribution in the oxide. The sample with PDA at 800 °C showed narrow phosphorus-doped oxide region, resulting in low interface state density near the conduction band edge and small flatband voltage shift after FN injection. The interfacial localization of phosphorus improved both interface properties and reliability of 4H-SiC MOS devices.

Abstract: 8H-SiC epilayers grown on small 8H-SiC Lely platelets are investigated optically using photoluminescence spectroscopy. At low temperature the near band gap emission detected in the 2.78 to 2.67 eV range contains sharp lines associated to nitrogen-bound-exciton recombination. Three different no-phonon lines are detected accompanied by their phonon replicas. Free-exciton replicas are also observed which allows the determination of the excitonic band gap. The binding energy of the bound excitons can thus be determined and the ionization energies of the three nitrogen levels in 8H-SiC are estimated and found to be rather shallow compared to the values for other hexagonal polytypes. Additional bound-exciton lines are observed when the experimental photoluminescence temperature is increased.

Abstract: We have evaluated the reliability of POCl3-annealed oxides on 4H-SiC using time-zero dielectric breakdown (TZDB), constant current time-dependent dielectric breakdown (CC-TDDB), and high-frequency capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements after electron injection. The POCl3 annealing does not deteriorate oxide breakdown field very much, still keeping an average value of larger than 9 MV/cm. However, the electron injection into POCl3-annealed oxide brings negative charges easily. From the C-V measurements, the POCl3-annealed capacitors were found to indicate a large positive flatband voltage shift after electron injection. Phosphorus atoms in the oxide may be related to the trapping site of injected electrons. The distribution and density of phosphorus in the oxide should be optimized to realize highly reliable 4H-SiC MOSFETs with high performance.