Materials Science Forum Vol. 924

Abstract: We report for the first time the successful heteroepitaxial growth of Si(100) oriented layer on top of a 3C-SiC(001) seed. By using a post-growth modification of the 3C-SiC surface (pulse insertion of precursors during cooling), it led to a change in Si nucleation, favoring squared (100) islands instead of elongated (110) ones. Without this surface modification step, the Si layers grown on 3C-SiC were always polycrystalline with a mixture of (110) and (100) orientations. Using such Si(100) layer grown on top of 3C-SiC(100), a (100) oriented 3C-SiC single crystalline layer was successfully grown on top, fabricating thus for the first time a fully (100) oriented multilayer heterostructure made of Si_(substrate)/SiC/Si/SiC.

Abstract: This work explores the effects of extended epitaxial defects on 4H-SiC power devices. Advanced defect mapping techniques were used on large quantities of power device wafers, and data was aggregated to correlate device electrical characteristics to defect content. 1200 V class Junction Barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes and MOSFETs were examined in this manner; higher voltage 3.3 kV class devices were examined as well. 3C inclusions and triangular defects, as well as heavily decorated substrate scratches, were found to be device killing defects. Other defects were found to have negligible impacts on device yield, even in the case of extremely high threading dislocation content. Defect impacts on device reliability was explored on MOS-gate structures, as well as long-term device blocking tests on both MOSFETs and JBS diodes. Devices that passed on-wafer electrical parametric tests were found to operate reliably in these tests, regardless of defect content.

Abstract: This study investigated the relationship between the forward voltage degradation induced by SSF expansion and (a) BPD density in substrates and epitaxial layers of SiC, and (b) the temperature during the application forward current to the pin diodes. The V_f shift caused by the BPDs in the drift layer simply depended on the BPD density. However, no correlation was initially observed between the V_f shift and BPD density in the substrate; instead a strong correlation was observed between the V_f shift and the device temperature measured when applying the current stress. Thus when we selected samples which show the same temperature at that time, a correlation was observed between the V_f shift and the BPD density in the SiC substrate, with the slope corresponding to the former, drift layer relationship. Therefore, due to the high BPD density in the SiC substrate, suppressing the V_f shift due to BPD density in this region is highly important, and a combination of approaches is therefore proposed in order to reduce the overall forward voltage degradation.

Abstract: A model based on the generation and recombination of defect was developed to describe the stability of stacking faults and basal plane dislocation loops in crystals with layered polytype structures. The stability of the defects configuration was analysed for stacking faults surrounded by Shockley and Frank partial dislocation as well as Shockley dislocation dipoles with long range elastic fields. This approach allows the qualitative prediction of defect subsystems in polytype structure in external fields.

Abstract: The expansion behavior of basal plane dislocations (BPDs) in a 4H-SiC epitaxial layer on the (110) A-plane under electron beam (EB) (//[110]) irradiation was observed. BPD expanded and formed a single Shockley stacking fault (SSSF) between a partial dislocation (PD) pair. The width of the SSSF was proportional to the EB current. The dependence of the expansion velocity on the irradiation position was observed with a fixed EB spot. It was found that the electron-hole pair migration to the PD and/or SSSF can expand the SSSF. The velocity of SSSF expansion by direct SSSF excitation with an EB was much smaller than that by the preferential excitation of a PD with migrated electron-hole pairs.

Abstract: In-grown stacking faults (IGSFs) generated in 4H-SiC epilayers were characterized. Melted KOH etching, room-temperature cathodoluminescence, low-temperature photoluminescence and cross-section transmission electron microscopy was conducted to investigate the propagation of the IGSFs in the down-stream region of a 3C inclusion. It was found that the SFs could extend, close and convert during the epitaxial growth. The origin of these IGSFs were attributed to the interference introduced by the 3C inclusion to the step-flow growth, and the propagating behaviors of these IGSFs were discussed.

Abstract: The expansion behavior of double Shockley stacking faults (DSFs) was investigated in heavily nitrogen doped 4H-SiC crystals at high temperatures up to 1350°C. An immobilization phenomenon of partials surrounding DSFs was discovered by a thermal annealing at temperatures over 1275°C. The electric properties of SiC crystal were maintained after the partial dislocations were immobilized with a high temperature annealing. The mobile partial dislocations extended straight, but the immobile ones bent toward the glide direction. This immobilization phenomenon is significant and useful for achieving low-resistance SiC substrates without DSFs.

Abstract: Using a combination of photoluminescence and electrical characterization, defects in the epitaxial layer of unipolar 4H-SiC power devices were matched to device characteristics and statistically analyzed. In-grown triangles had no significant effect on diode and VDMOS blocking or conduction mode, while surface triangles lead to high leakage currents even below 1 V reverse bias.

Abstract: The obtuse triangular defects would result in higher leakage currents and the preferential gate oxide breakdown of SiC devices. The formation and structural features of obtuse triangular defects on the 4° off 4H-SiC epilayers were investigated by confocal microscope and photoluminescence image. Two structrures of obtuse triangular defects were found. By optimizing the growth process, obtuse triangular defect free epitaxial layers were abtained on SiC substrate with serveral stacking fault. The number of triangular SFs defects was less than 0.5/cm².

Abstract: We present in-situ observations of the dynamical operation of multiple double-ended Frank-Read dislocation sources in a PVT-grown 4H-SiC wafer under thermal gradient stresses. The nucleation of these sources is facilitated by a specific configuration consisting of one basal plane dislocation (BPD) segment pinned by two threading edge dislocations (TEDs). This configuration is formed during PVT crystal growth by deflection of TEDs on to the basal planes by macrosteps and re-deflection of resulting BPDs back into TEDs. Under the influence of thermal gradient stresses induced by heating inside a double ellipsoidal mirror furnace, the pinned BPD segment glides and activates dislocation multiplication by the double Frank-Read source mechanism. A more intricate mechanism of swapping of TED pinning points between Frank-Read sources lying on same basal plane is identified, enabling one dislocation loop to effectively “pass through” the other dislocations on same basal plane.