Materials Science Forum Vols. 600-603

Abstract: The defects produced by irradiation with 7 MeV C+ induce a change in the electrical properties of 4H-SiC Schottky diodes. Capacitance-voltage and Current-voltage characteristics of the diodes fabricated in epilayers doped with different nitrogen concentrations were monitored before and after irradiation with different fluences. The Capacitance-voltage curves show free carrier compensation after low fluence irradiation and it was found that the reduction of carriers per ion induced vacancy increases with nitrogen content. The forward current-voltage characteristics of the diodes show an increase in the series resistance after irradiation. This change is mainly related to the high compensation occurring around the end of the ion range.

Abstract: Pseudomorphic 4H-(Si1-xC1-y)Gex+y solid solutions were formed by ion implantation at 600°C and rapid thermal annealing at implanted Ge concentrations below 10%. At higher implantation doses followed by annealing 3C-SiC inclusion and SiGe precipitates are formed. Transmission electron microscopy investigations accompanied with “atomic location by channeling enhanced microanalysis” of the annealed samples revealed an increasing incorporation of Ge on Si lattice sites.

Abstract: Chromium (Cr) and selenium (Se) are laser doped in silicon carbide (4H-SiC p-type aluminium) to fabricate an embedded light emitting device and to tune the light emission. A near infrared Nd:YAG (1064 nm wavelength) laser source and an organometallic Cr compound (bis (ethyl benzene)-chromium) and organometallic Se compound (dimethyl selenide) were used to laser dope SiC. A p-n junction device structure was created using these dopants. The dopant profiles have been characterized using secondary ion mass spectrometry. Electrical properties were measured using Hall effect measurement. Enhanced diffusivity and solubility with complete activation of dopants was observed for laser doped Cr and Se. Cr and Se are unconventional dopants, which serve as a double donor and a double acceptor respectively, while aluminium (Al) behaves as single acceptor and nitrogen (N) as a single donor in SiC. The defect levels (donor and acceptor) created within the forbidden band gap of SiC due to Se, Cr and Al onsets the donor acceptor pair (DAP) recombination mechanism for luminescence observed in SiC. Electroluminescence studies showed an orange (677 nm) corresponding to Cr-Al and, red (698 nm) and white (380-900 nm) for Se-Al and pure white for Cr-Se-Al. The Cr-Se-Al white light exhibited a correlated color temperature of 4935 K, which compares well to average daylight (5500 K).

Abstract: The reaction behavior and growth kinetic of reaction layer were investigated in the Ni contact to n-type 6H-SiC. Annealing was performed at temperature in the range between 800 and 1000 °C for 1 to 240 minutes in Ar atmosphere. The interface reaction of Ni/SiC starts with Ni diffusion into SiC. Ni3Si is initially precipitated and subsequently forms the continuous layer of d-Ni2Si. Kirkendall voids are formed at the reaction front. Carbon is segregated in the interface layer of nickel silicide. The growth rate of the interface layer follows a parabolic law, meaning that the growth rate is controlled by diffusion. The growth occurs in two steps at all examined temperatures: a fast growth is followed by a slow growth. In addition, in the late stage, the growth rate changes dramatically below and above 850°C. The observed growth kinetic can be explained by the difference of Ni diffusivity and the required concentration change for phase transition depending on the phase composition and structure. The d-Ni2Si is formed in the early stage, while the e-Ni3Si2 and q-Ni2Si are formed in the late stage below and above 850°C, respectively.

Abstract: This work focuses on Ni ohmic contacts to the C-face (backside) of n-type 4H-SiC substrates. Low-resistive ohmic contacts to the wafer backside are important especially for vertical power devices. Ni contacts were deposited using E-beam evaporation and annealed at different temperatures (700-1050 °C) in RTP to obtain optimum conditions for forming low resistive ohmic contacts. Our results indicate that 1 min annealing at temperatures between 950 and 1000 °C provides high quality ohmic contacts with a contact resistivity of 2.3x10-5 Ωcm2. Also our XRD results show that different Ni silicide phases appear in this annealing temperature range.

Abstract: N+ 4H-SiC commercial substrates with n-type epilayers have been used to realize bipolar diodes and TLM structures. The p-type emitter of diodes was realized by Al implantations followed by a post-implantation annealing with or without a graphite capping layer. Ohmic contacts were formed by depositing Ti/Ni on the backside and Ni/Al on the topside of the wafer. It appears that capping the sample during the annealing reduces considerably the surface roughness and the specific contact resistance. Sheet resistance and specific contact resistance as low as 2kΩ/□ and respectively 1.75×10-4 Ωcm² at 300 K have been obtained. I-V measurements as a function of temperature have been performed from ~100 to ~500 K. The variations of the series resistance vs. temperature can be explained by the freeze-out of carriers and by the variation of carrier mobility.

Abstract: The reaction and phase formation of the Ti/SiC Schottky contact as a function of the annealing temperature (400~700oC) were investigated. The Schottky barrier height (fb) and the crystal structure of the samples annealed at the different temperature were measured by the forward current-voltage (IV) characteristics and the x-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. XRD measurements were performed in the w-2q scan and the pole figure measurement for Ti (101) diffraction peak. The fb was changed as a function of temperature. It was concluded that the fb variation and non-uniformity of the samples annealed at 400oC, 500oC, 600 oC and 700oC was caused by changing the condition at the interface between SiC substrate and Ti. We fabricated the 600V Ti/SiC silicidation SBD annealed at 500oC for 5min. As a result, a low forward voltage drop, low reverse leakage current and stability at high temperature (200 oC) for the Ti/SiC silicidation SBD were shown.

Abstract: In our early analytic reports [1,2] has been made the supposition that during the diffusion welding (DW) in subcontact area of SiC is formed the intermediate amorphous layer. In the present work are given the first results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction investigations of subcontact layers in n0-n- 4H-SiC. TEM examinations show that the boundary between aluminium and silicon carbide looks like stripy interface layer of ~ 25 nm thickness. This is the evidence that during diffusion welding in subcontact surface layer of SiC the shear micro deformations have been taking place and due to this process the plane inclusions of small-grained phase have been appeared. The image of contact area obtained in diffracted SiC rays (dark field) apparently confirms that stripy zone belongs to silicon carbide because the aluminium (black zone) fell out of contrast. Diffraction picture obtained from bulk zone of silicon carbide looks like monocrystallin, but the micro diffraction pattern obtained from the subcontact (stripy zone) gives a lot of concentric rings, that makes evidential the fact of existence of small-grained inclusions. Deciphering of this electron-diffraction pattern reveals the presence of such elements as residue SiC, Al, Si, as well as inclusions of graphite.

Abstract: Isotropic etching of silicon carbide was achieved using a capacitive coupled parallel plate reactor in plasma etching mode and SF6 at elevated substrate temperatures. It was observed to be remarkable at substrate temperatures above 350°C. The influence of chamber pressure, masking materials, rf-power and substrate temperature were analyzed. Thereby, 8.5° off-axis oriented 4HSiC wafers exhibit a larger vertical and lateral etching rate compared to on-axis oriented SiC wafers. Additionally, the erosion of nitrogen containing masking material results in a reduction of the etching rates.

Abstract: The etching technology for 4H-silicon carbide (SiC) was studied using ClF3 gas at 673-973K, 100 % and atmospheric pressure in a horizontal reactor. The etch rate, greater than 10 um/min, can be obtained for both the C-face and Si-face at substrate temperatures higher than 723 K. The etch rate increases with the increasing ClF3 gas flow rate. The etch rate of the Si-face is smaller than that of the C-face. The etched surface of the Si-face shows many hexagonal-shaped etch pits. The C-face after the etching is very smooth with a very small number of round shaped shallow pits. The average roughness of the etched surface tends to be small at the higher temperatures.