Major deep levels with the same microstructures observed in n-type 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3528124· OSTI ID:21538024

Sasaki, S; Kawahara, K; Feng, G; Alfieri, G; Kimoto, T ^[1]

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1. Department of Electronic Science and Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo, Kyoto 615-8510 (Japan)

Major deep levels observed in as-grown and irradiated n-type 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC epilayers have been investigated. After low-energy electron irradiation, by which only carbon atoms are displaced, five traps, EH1 (E{sub C}-0.36 eV), Z{sub 1}/Z{sub 2} (E{sub C}-0.65 eV), EH3 (E{sub C}-0.79 eV), EH5 (E{sub C}-1.0 eV), and EH6/7 (E{sub C}-1.48 eV), were detected in 4H-SiC and four traps, E{sub 1}/E{sub 2} (E{sub C}-0.45 eV), RD{sub 5} (E{sub C}-0.57 eV), ES (E{sub C}-0.80 eV), and R (E{sub C}-1.25 eV), were detected in 6H-SiC. The Z{sub 1}/Z{sub 2}, EH6/7 centers in 4H-SiC and the E{sub 1}/E{sub 2}, R centers in 6H-SiC exhibit common features as follows: their generation rates by the e{sup -}-irradiation were almost the same each other, their concentrations were not changed by heat treatments up to 1500 deg. C, and they showed very similar annealing behaviors at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, these defect centers were almost eliminated by thermal oxidation. Taking account of the observed results and the energy positions, the authors suggest that the Z{sub 1}/Z{sub 2} center in 4H-SiC corresponds to the E{sub 1}/E{sub 2} center in 6H-SiC, and the EH6/7 center in 4H-SiC to the R center in 6H-SiC, respectively. Since the concentrations of these four centers are almost the same for as-grown, electron-irradiated, annealed, and oxidized samples, these centers will contain a common intrinsic defect, most likely carbon vacancy. The authors also observed similar correspondence for other thermally unstable traps in 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC.

• OSTI ID: 21538024
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 109, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3528124; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ACTIVATION ENERGY
ANNEALING
ATOMS
CARBON
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRONS
EPITAXY
IRRADIATION
LAYERS
MICROSTRUCTURE
OXIDATION
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
R CENTERS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON CARBIDES
TRAPS
BEAMS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLOR CENTERS
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
FERMIONS
HEAT TREATMENTS
LEPTON BEAMS
LEPTONS
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
PARTICLE BEAMS
POINT DEFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
VACANCIES