A novel micro-Raman technique to detect and characterize 4H-SiC stacking faults

Journal Article · Tue Oct 28 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4899985· OSTI ID:22308141

Camarda, M.; La Via, F. ^[1]

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1. IMM-CNR, stradale primo sole, 50, 95121 Catania (Italy)

A novel Micro-Raman technique was designed and used to detect extended defects in 4H-SiC homoepitaxy. The technique uses above band-gap high-power laser densities to induce a local increase of free carriers in undoped epitaxies (n < 10{sup 16} at/cm{sup −3}), creating an electronic plasma that couples with the longitudinal optical (LO) Raman mode. The Raman shift of the LO phonon-plasmon-coupled mode (LOPC) increases as the free carrier density increases. Crystallographic defects lead to scattering or recombination of the free carriers which results in a loss of coupling with the LOPC, and in a reduction of the Raman shift. Given that the LO phonon-plasmon coupling is obtained thanks to the free carriers generated by the high injection level induced by the laser, we named this technique induced-LOPC (i-LOPC). This technique allows the simultaneous determination of both the carrier lifetime and carrier mobility. Taking advantage of the modifications on the carrier lifetime induced by extended defects, we were able to determine the spatial morphology of stacking faults; the obtained morphologies were found to be in excellent agreement with those provided by standard photoluminescence techniques. The results show that the detection of defects via i-LOPC spectroscopy is totally independent from the stacking fault photoluminescence signals that cover a large energy range up to 0.7 eV, thus allowing for a single-scan simultaneous determination of any kind of stacking fault. Combining the i-LOPC method with the analysis of the transverse optical mode, the micro-Raman characterization can determine the most important properties of unintentionally doped film, including the stress status of the wafer, lattice impurities (point defects, polytype inclusions) and a detailed analysis of crystallographic defects, with a high spectral and spatial resolution.

• OSTI ID: 22308141
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 16 Vol. 116; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CARRIER DENSITY
CARRIER LIFETIME
CARRIER MOBILITY
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
DETECTION
DOPED MATERIALS
EPITAXY
FILMS
IMPURITIES
INJECTION
OPTICAL MODES
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
POINT DEFECTS
RAMAN EFFECT
SCATTERING
SILICON CARBIDES
SPATIAL RESOLUTION
SPECTROSCOPY
STACKING FAULTS
STRESSES