Materials Science Forum Vols. 740-742

Abstract: On- and off-state bias-temperature instability (BTI) measurements of 4H-SiC field effect transistors fabricated in a gate-oxide-first process were performed in the 30-450 °C temperature range. Stable operation under off-state stress at 300 °C is reported. On-state bias-instability stress revealed behavior consistent with the presence of hole traps in the SiC channel. The interface state density Dit increased from 2.5 eV^-1cm^-2 to 6.6 eV^-1cm^-2 as a function of positive stress duration.

Abstract: In this work, anomalous discontinuities observed in Capacitance-Voltage (C-V) characteristics on non-nitridated n-4H-SiC/SiO₂ capacitors at low temperature are addressed. The appearance of abrupt capacitance minima, always at the same gate voltages (4V and 8V) and independent on probe frequency, led us to consider a resonant electron tunneling process from neutral donor states present at the SiC/SiO₂ interface into two well defined energy levels in the oxide layer. Results of numerical simulations based on this model describe quantitatively the experimentally observed discontinuities at 4V and 8V and provide strong evidence for the presence resonant tunneling.

Abstract: For the description of features of boron diffusion of in silicon carbide the new two-component model is offer. The first component is the “shallow” boron - boron atoms in silicon sites (B_Si). This component is prevailed in the surface region of diffusion layers and has rather low speed of diffusion. The second component is the “deep” boron – impurity-defect pairs of boron with carbon vacancy (B_Si-V_C). This component is prevailed in the volume region of diffusion layers and has rather high speed of diffusion. By means of model the influence of nitrogen impurity and isoconcentration diffusion of an isotope ¹⁰B are described.

Abstract: Presented in this paper are the results of a study of forward and reverse current-voltage characteristics of the 4H-SiC pn structures produced by implantation of Al+ ions in low-doped ((5-7)∙1014cm-3) n-type conductivity epitaxial layer. A forward current was identified which is consistent with the model of recombination in the space charge region of a pn junction via a deep level: J=Joexp(qU/nkT), where Jo=Jo*exp[-Ea/(kT)] (or J= Jo*exp[(qU-2Ea)/nkT)]) with the ideality factor n=2. Parameters of this current are as follows: Jo(293 K) ~ 8∙10-25 A/cm2, Ea 1.73-1.75 eV (2Ea3.46-3.5 eV), Jo*~7∙105 A/cm2. A comparison of the experimental and model-based values of Ea, with allowance for all clearly defined temperature dependences, both strong and weak, of the model of recombination in the space charge region shows that the effective lifetime increases and effective trapping cross section σeff of the recombination level decreases with increasing temperature: σeff ~ T-2÷σeff ~ T-2.5 or σeff ~exp(ΔE /kT) where ΔE=80-100 meV. Reverse current practically in whole temperature range is excess current, only at high temperatures (~800 K) reverse current became close to generation current in space charge region. Special interest are the excess currents as a result of the application of a reverse or forward voltage at high temperature. The barrier type excess currents is characteristic of SiC.

Abstract: We present the injection electroluminescence spectra in the temperature range 290-800 K of 4H-SiC pn structure, which was formed by implantation of Al+ ions in low-doped n-type conductivity 4H-SiC epitaxial layer. The dominant emission band of injection electroluminescence (IEL) spectrum at room temperature was observed in the blue-green region; as the temperature is raised, the blue-green band is quenched, while UV band (near band-edge) IEL become dominant. The peak parameters of UV band at room temperature are: hmax  3.17 eV, full width at half maximum w  90 meV. The UV peak shifted in the long-wave direction with increasing temperature; the hmax (T) dependence was linear with the slope of -2.3∙10-4 eV/K. Both the IEL intensity of the UV peak at hmax and band width w increased upon heating. The w(T) dependence was linear with the slope of 2.9∙10-4 eV/K; intensity increased with the activation energy of 100-150 meV. The UV IEL band can be considered more probable to the band-band recombination and edge IEL increasing with rising temperature can be explained by the nonequilibrium charge carriers lifetime increasing.

Abstract: High-resolution synchrotron radiation X-ray absorption of Si K-edge have been employed to investigate 6H-, 4H- and 3C-SiC. Detailed analyses of the extended x-ray absorption fine structure are taken by using the IFEFFIT program, and significant results on the atomic bonding are obtained from these comparative studies. The x-ray absorption near-edge structures of the Si K-edge are investigated, and the electronic structure of 3C-, 4H- and 6H-SiC are studied. In order to investigate the angular dependence, the x-ray absorption near-edge spectra were operated at 55o and 90o of the angle between the surface and the X-ray direction.

Abstract: A possible mechanism of hexagonal void movement during Physical vapor transport (PVT)-growth is proposed in terms of quasi-equilibrium phase transition process based upon the Si-C binary phase diagram. The hexagonal void movement can be realized when two different reactions occurs simultaneously: (1) SiC(s) solidification and (2) decomposition without graphitization. Further, the kinetic instability of the void movement observed is also discussed, and found to be explainable if the effect of the temperature gradient existing in the crystal grown in conventional PVT-process is included.

Abstract: For this study, 4H SiC samples were implanted with aluminum at room temperature, 200°C and 600°C with different energies, ranging from 30 to 380 keV, for a total dose of 4x1015 cm 2, to create a “box-like” profile. To activate dopants, samples were then isochronally annealed from 1650°C to 1850°C during 30min. The lowest specific contact resistance achieved, evaluated to 1.3x10-5 Ω.cm2, has been obtained for the 200°C implanted sample annealed at 1850°C. For this condition, Scanning Capacitance Microscopy study has proved that the dopant activity is quite homogeneous in opposition with the samples implanted at RT and 600°C.

Abstract: Experimentally,the grazing-incident X-ray topography at different diffraction conditions, and room temperature photo-luminescence spectroscopy, various different types of stacking-faults in epitaxial films on 4-degrees-off 4H-SiC wafers were identified precisely without wafer cutting. Their types and the numbers were investigated statistically. It became clear that (4,4) type stacking-faults were the most common ones and two different types were identified. Still 34% of the stacking-faults were unknown types in the present investigation.Several different kinds of stacking-faults formed on the surface of 4-degrees-off 4H-SiC epitaxial wafers were investigated. Their types could be identified and type distribution in a wafer could be obtained using X-ray topography and room temperature Photo-Luminescence without wafer cutting. Type determination of 8H(4,4)- stacking fault ; with or without strain field, could also be decideddemonstrated using this method.

Abstract: An etch pit shape of off-angled 4H-SiC Si-face formed by different halogen gases such as chlorine trifluoride (ClF3) and a mixed gas (O2+Cl2) of oxygen and chlorine in nitrogen (N2) ambience has been studied. One kind of etch pit with the crooked hexagon was formed at etching temperature under 500oC. The angle of etch pit measured by the cross-sectional atomic force microscope image was about 10o from the [11-20] view. A dislocation type of the etch pit was discussed in comparison with the etch pit shape and an X-ray topography image.