Materials Science Forum Vols. 600-603

Abstract: We report photo-induced electron paramagnetic resonance (photo-EPR) data for irradiated n-type 4H-SiC. Energy levels and associated photo-induced transitions are discussed for silicon vacancy (VSi), carbon vacancy (VC), carbon antisite-vacancy pair (CSiVC), and divacancy (VSiVC).

Abstract: We have studied the small clusters of silicon and carbon interstitials by ab initio supercell calculations in 4H-SiC. We found that silicon interstitials can form stable and electrically active complexes with each other or with a carbon interstitial. Local vibration modes and ionization energies were also calculated in order to help the identification of the defects. We propose that silicon interstitials can emit from these clusters at relatively high temperatures, which may play an important role in the formation of the DI center.

Abstract: The effect of the Schottky barrier height on the detection of the midgap defects EH6 and EH7 in 4H-SiC by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) is systematically studied. The results show that the DLTS peak height - and as a consequence the observed defect concentration - increases with the increasing barrier height and saturates above 1.5 eV for EH6 and above 1.7 eV for EH7, while below 1.1 eV the DLTS peak height completely disappears. A model is applied, which determines the position of the quasi-Fermi level in the space charge region as a function of the barrier height and of the reverse bias applied and which explains the variation of the DLTS peak height.

Abstract: Al-doped 4H and 6H epitaxial layers have been implanted with 200 keV hydrogen or irradiated with 1 MeV electrons. Heat treatments have been carried out up to 1000 °C and electrical characterization, by means of deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), has been performed after every annealing treatment in the 100-750 K temperature range. We have detected several deep levels and the possible involvement of hydrogen in the microscopic structure of these defects is discussed in the light of their thermal stability and previous results found in the literature. All the detected defects, except for a level located at 0.55 eV above the valence band (Ev), do not display any electric field dependence of their emission time constant.

Abstract: The behavior of the D1 center in semi-insulating 4H-SiC substrates revealed by low-temperature photoluminescence was investigated after post-growth high temperature anneals between 1400 and 2400oC. The influence of different post-anneal cooling rates was also studied. The optical signature of D1 was observed up to 2400oC with intensity maxima at 1700 and 2200oC. We propose that the peak at 1700°C can be related to the formation and subsequent dissociation of SiC native defects. It was found that changes in the post-annealing cooling rate drastically influence the behavior of the D1 center and the concentrations of the VC, VSi, VC-VSi and VC-CSi lattice defects.

Abstract: Local vibrational mode energies of optical centres, obtained by low-temperature photoluminescence experiments, are compared with the results of published local density approximation calculations to arrive at atomic models for the carbon interstitial-related defects responsible for the light emission.

Abstract: A common set of optical centres found in photoluminescence spectra of electron irradiated 4H SiC is interpreted as originating in neutral carbon-vacancy carbon anti-site pairs.

Abstract: 6H-SiC was doped with phosphorus (P) donors by neutron transmutation. IR transmission spectra were taken in the temperature range from 6 K to 300 K. A great number of absorption lines is observed at temperatures below 140 K; these lines are attributed to transitions of the donor electron between ground states and bound excited states of P-related donors. Based on Faulkner's theory, three series of effective-mass-like states (P1, P2, P3) could be identified. The corresponding ground state energies are: E(P1) = EC - 91.5 meV, E(P2) = EC - 81.8 meV, E(P3) = EC - 73.5 meV.

Abstract: A new investigation on the optical properties of the phosphorus-bound excitons is presented. Arguments are given in favor of the possibility of degenerate donor state for phosphorus substituting Si atom on hexagonal site. On the base of a simple model, it is shown that the experimental spectra also provide evidence in favor of this possibility. The possibility for violation of the Haynes rule in the case of phosphorus donors on the two inequivalent sites is indicated.