Power semiconductor devices are key components in power conversion systems. Silicon carbide (SiC) has received increasing attention as a wide-bandgap semiconductor suitable for high-voltage and low-loss power devices. Through recent progress in the crystal growth and process technology of SiC, the production of medium-voltage (600?1700 V) SiC Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) and power metal?oxide?semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) has started. However, basic understanding of the material properties, defect electronics, and the reliability of SiC devices is still poor. In this review paper, the features and present status of SiC power devices are briefly described. Then, several important aspects of the material science and device physics of SiC, such as impurity doping, extended and point defects, and the impact of such defects on device performance and reliability, are reviewed. Fundamental issues regarding SiC SBDs and power MOSFETs are also discussed.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.7567/JJAP.54.040103/pdf

Material science and device physics in SiC technology for high-voltage power devices

The electrical characterization of nickel silicide Schottky contacts on silicon carbide (4H–SiC) is reported in this article. In spite of the nearly ideal behavior of the contact at room temperature (n=1.05), the electrical behavior monitored in a wide temperature range exhibited a deviation from the ideality at lower temperatures, thus suggesting that an inhomogeneous barrier has actually formed. A description of the experimental results by the Tung’s model, i.e., considering an effective area of the inhomogeneous contact, provided a procedure for a correct determination of the Richardson’s constant A**. An effective area lower than the geometric area of the diode is responsible for the commonly observed discrepancy in the experimental values of A** from its theoretical value in silicon carbide. The same method was applied to Ti/4H–SiC contacts.

Richardson’s constant in inhomogeneous silicon carbide Schottky contacts

The density, shape and structure of in-grown stacking faults in 4H–SiC (0001) epitaxial layers have been characterized by cathodeluminescence, photoluminescence and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. These analyses indicate that in-grown stacking faults are of 8H structure, and are generated mostly near the epilayer/substrate interface during chemical vapor deposition. The impact of the stacking faults on the performance of 4H–SiC (0001) Schottky barrier diodes has been investigated. It is revealed that the stacking faults cause the lowering of Schottky barrier height as well as the decrease of breakdown voltage.

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Characterization of in-grown stacking faults in 4H–SiC (0001) epitaxial layers and its impacts on high-voltage Schottky barrier diodes

Electrical properties, including current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics, have been measured on a large number of Ti, Ni, and Pt-based Schottky barrier diodes on 4H-SiC epilayers. Various nonideal behaviors are frequently observed, including ideality factors greater than one, anomalously low I-V barrier heights, and excess leakage currents at low forward bias and in reverse bias. The nonidealities are highly nonuniform across individual wafers and from wafer to wafer. We find a pronounced linear correlation between I-V barrier height and ideality factor for each metal, while C-V barrier heights remain constant. Electron beam induced current (EBIC) imaging strongly suggests that the nonidealities result from localized low barrier height patches. These patches are related to discrete crystal defects, which become visible as recombination centers in the EBIC images. Alternative explanations involving generation-recombination current, uniform interfacial layers, and effects related to the periphery are ruled out.

Electrical characteristics of Schottky barriers on 4H-SiC: the effects of barrier height nonuniformity

Surface and interface issues in wide band gap semiconductor electronics

Forward density-voltage (J-V) measurements of titanium/4H-SiC Schottky rectifiers are presented in a large temperature range. While some of the devices present a behavior in accordance with the thermionic current theory, others present an excess forward current at low voltage level. This anomaly appears more or less depending on the rectifier and on the temperature. A model based on two parallel Schottky rectifiers with different barrier heights is presented. The characteristics show good agreement. It is shown that the excess current at low voltage can be explained by a lowering of the Schottky barrier in localized regions. A proposal for the physical origin of these low barrier height areas is given.

Barrier inhomogeneities and electrical characteristics of Ti/4H-SiC Schottky rectifiers

In this work, we have investigated the reaction between Zr and SiGeC alloys. Annealings have been performed in a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) furnace at temperatures ranging from 400 to 800 °C for 5 min. The reaction of the metal with the alloy has been investigated by x-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Four crystal x-ray diffraction was performed to measure the residual strain in the epilayer. The analyses indicate that the C49-Zr(Si1−xGex)2 is the final phase of the reaction. For all compositions examined (from 0% up to 33% of Ge), the C49 film has the same Ge content as in the as-deposited Si1−x−yGexCy layer and no Ge segregation has occured. In addition, this thermal treatment leads to only a small strain relaxation in the unreacted epilayer. The presence of C does not modify the reaction and it prevents any strain relaxation. Schottky barrier height measurements have been performed on p-type layers. RTA leads to a slight decrease of the barrier without any degradation of t...

Thermal stability and electrical properties of Zr/Si1−x−yGexCy contacts after rapid thermal annealing

In this work, we have investigated the reactions between Zr and SiGeC alloys using rapid thermal annealing. The interactions of the metal films with the Si1−x−yGexCy alloys have been investigated by using sheet resistance measurements, Rutherford backscattering (RBS), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and x-ray diffraction. The morphologies of surfaces and interfaces were examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analyses indicated that the C49–Zr(Si1−zGez)2 phase is the final phase of the reaction. The ternary alloy even annealed at temperature as high as 800 °C indicates the same Ge index x as in the as-deposited Si1−xGex layer. We did not observe any Ge segregation after annealing. The results indicate that Zr may be a good candidate for contacts on IV–IV alloys in terms of thermal stability. In addition, we have studied the electrical properties of Schottky contacts to SiGeC alloys. We have shown that the dependence of the SBH on t...

Contacts on Si1−x−yGexCy alloys: Electrical properties and thermal stability

In this work, we have investigated the Schottky barrier heights on n- and p-type Si1−x−yGexCy alloys with Zr, Ti, W, Ni and Pt as metals (ΦBn and ΦBp, respectively). Contacts on Si1−xGex alloys showed various behaviors depending on the metal work function Φm. For low-Φm metals (Zr, Ti), ΦBn increases with x, while ΦBp(x) decreases. For higher Φm metals (Pt), ΦBn strongly decreases with x. In the particular case of W (intermediate Φm value), ΦBp follows exactly the decrease of the SiGe band gap with x, while ΦBn remains constant. Nevertheless, whatever the metal, the reduction of the sum ΦBn+ΦBp gives the band-gap variation as a function of x, and the Fermi level is located at the same position for both n and p-type layers. A weaker effect of Φm on the Schottky barrier heights is observed compared to pure Si: the position of the Fermi level tends to remain in the range 0.60–0.65 eV below the conduction band, as soon as Ge is adding in Si. W contacts on Si1−x−yGexCy alloys evidenced the strong effect of C o...

Fermi level position at metal Si1−x−yGexCy interfaces

In this work, we have investigated the reaction between Zr and SiGeC alloys after Rapid Thermal anneals performed at 800°C for 5 min. The interactions of the metal with the alloy have been investigated by X-Ray diffraction. Four crystal X-Ray diffraction was also performed to measure the residual strain in the epilayer. The final compound of the reaction is the C49- Zr(Si 1-x Ge x ) 2 phase. The C49 film contains the same Ge concentration as in the as-deposited Si 1-x-y Ge x C y layer. This suggests that no Ge-segregation occurs during annealing. Only a small strain relaxation is detected in the unreacted SiGe epilayer during the reaction. The addition of C in the epilayer prevents any strain relaxation. These results are in contrast with those observed in systems with Ti and Co, and show that the system Zr-Si-Ge is much more stable. Schottky barrier heights have been also measured: annealing leads to a slight decrease of the barrier without any degradation of the contact. The resistivity of the C49 film is about 80 μΩcm. These results indicate that Zr may be a good candidate for contacts on IV-IV alloys in term of thermal stability.

M. Barthula

Papers

Barrier inhomogeneities and electrical characteristics of Ti/4H-SiC Schottky rectifiers

Thermal stability and electrical properties of Zr/Si1−x−yGexCy contacts after rapid thermal annealing

Contacts on Si1−x−yGexCy alloys: Electrical properties and thermal stability

Fermi level position at metal Si1−x−yGexCy interfaces

Characterizations of Zr/Si1-x-yGexCy After Rapid Thermal Annealing