Effects of a Post-Oxidation Annealing in Nitrous Oxide on the Morphological and Electrical Properties of SiO₂/4H-SiC Interfaces

Abstract:

This work reports on the morphological, structural and electrical effects of a nitrous oxide (N₂O) ambient post-oxidation annealing (POA) of the SiO₂/4H-SiC interface. In particular, a conventional electrical characterization of MOS capacitors showed that nitrous oxide POA reduces the presence of both fixed oxide charge and the density of interface states. A local atomically flat interface was observed by transmission electron microscopy with only a moderate step bunching observed at a macroscopic scale. A novel nanoscale characterization approach via scanning spreading resistance microscopy resolved local electrical changes induced at the SiC surface exposed to N₂O POA. This result subsequently revealed additional insight into the mechanism for the improved device performance subjected to N₂O POA treatment.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volumes 740-742)
• Pages: 715-718
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.740-742.715
• Online since: January 2013
• Authors: Lukas K. Swanson, Patrick Fiorenza, Filippo Giannazzo, S. Alessandrino, S. Lorenti, Fabrizio Roccaforte
• Keywords: 4H-SiC, MOS, N₂O, POA, SiO₂, SSRM

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