Electrical and optical characterization of SiC

doi:10.1016/0921-4526(93)90249-6

Physica B: Condensed Matter

Volume 185, Issues 1–4, April 1993, Pages 264-283

https://doi.org/10.1016/0921-4526(93)90249-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

We review the currentuse of electrical and optical methods to study the semiconducting properties of SiC. More specifically we treat Hall measurements, deep-level transient spectroscopy, infrared absorption and luminescence. Some very recent results, not yet available in the literature, on donor and acceptor levels in 3C-SiC, 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC are discussed.

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Recent advances and challenges in silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic nanoarchitectures and their applications
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Citation Excerpt :
The different polytypes of the same material make it useful in different fields and find many newer applications. These include 3C, 2H, 4H, 6H, 8H, 9R, 10H, 14H,15R,19R, 2OH, 21H, and 24R, where (C), (H) and (R) are the three-basic crystallographic groups of cubic, hexagonal and rhombohedral [120–122]. Similar to other semiconducting materials, such as the Si, Ge, Ga, As, diamond, etc, this consists of corner-sharing tetrahedra [123], i.e., tetrahedral bonding between the Si and carbon atom with a C atom at the centroid of 4 Si (Fig. 3).
Silicon carbide (SiC) is recognized as a notable semiconductor because of its outstanding characteristics, for instance wide-bandgap, outstanding magnetic properties, extraordinary chemical inertness, high thermal, mechanical, optical and electronic properties, generally utilized in solid-state lighting and power electronics because of its insufficient inherent carrier and high thermal conductivity under high-power/high-temperature/high-voltage or other such harsh environments. In the present review the authors discuss SiC and their physico-chemical properties as a new generation SiC functional materials and ceramic matrix composites with the primary purpose of improving their wide range of recent applications. However, it is to be noted that the biocompatibility and other such recent applications of SiC have been seldom understood by the researchers in spite of the fact that there is an ample scope for such studies on SiC. In the present review, the authors focus on the comprehensive overview of the introduction to ceramic materials, its classifications, properties of ceramics and 3D-printed composite ceramic materials followed by state-of-art of silicon carbide along with their structure, its polytypes, properties and defects in SiC. Further multidisciplinary applications of SiC nanoarchitectures have been systematically summarized, including photocatalytic technology, membrane technology gas- chemical sensing, field emission transistors, nanoelectronics, medical implants, biosensing and so on. Finally, the future prospects and research directions of SiC nanoarchitectures are proposed.
Impact of intrinsic defects on excitation dependent carrier lifetime in thick 4H-SiC studied by complementing microwave photoconductivity, free-carrier absorption and time-resolved photoluminescence techniques
2019, Journal of Luminescence
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Using exciton binding energy in 4H-SiC of ∼20 meV [26], bandgap of 3.29 eV can be determined. Taking into account that our sample is grown at C rich conditions, nitrogen is dominantly positioned at hexagonal and cubic sites with activation energies Eh = 61.4 meV, Ec = 125.5 meV [5,25,27,28]. Nitrogen at hexagonal site is dominant in DAP luminescence [29].
Photoexcited carrier dynamics in 10¹⁴–10¹⁸ cm⁻³ density range was investigated by using complementary optical and microwave techniques. Bulk lifetime decrease from 4 μs to 460 ns with excitation and its increase with temperature were observed in bulk n-type 4H-SiC crystal. The latter data and modeling of excitation-dependent hole capture with subsequent electron capture provided the trap position at E_V + 0.19 eV and electron (hole) lifetimes of 360 ns (100 ns), correspondingly, at high excitation conditions. Lifetime increase with temperature was observed due to the trap thermal activation and reduction of electron capture cross section. The trap origin was discussed in terms of silicon vacancy related and titanium point defects. Photoluminescence spectra in 24–300 K range revealed bound exciton luminescence and nitrogen-aluminum donor-acceptor pair band, which time-resolved and excitation dependent dynamics was analyzed.
Ablation threshold measurements and surface modifications of 193 nm laser irradiated 4H-SiC
2018, Chemical Physics Letters
We report laser ablation experiments on polished 4H-SiC wafers using an 193 nm ArF laser over a fluence range of  mJ cm⁻²–5000 mJ cm⁻². An onset of material modification was measured at a laser fluence of 925 ± 80 mJ cm^−2, and a concomitant etch rate of ∼200 pm per pulse. Laser ablation sites have been analysed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman microscopy and white light interferometry. Finite element simulations using COMSOL™ Metaphysics, 5.3 have been used to calculate laser induced temperature rise of 4H-SiC as a function of laser fluence. The laser fluence required to reach the melting points of silicon, silicon carbide and carbon have been calculated and correspond to ∼970, 1950, 2600 mJ cm⁻² respectively. Two different surface modifications are observed. At a laser fluence in the region of 1.0 J cm⁻² the irradiated site removed material forming a uniform crater. At a higher laser fluence, in the region of 2700 mJ cm⁻², nodule-like structures form on the base of the ablation crater. The dissociation of laser irradiated 4H-SiC is briefly discussed.
Stability of porous SiC based materials under relevant conditions of radiation and temperature
2018, Journal of Nuclear Materials
Porous SiC samples with different percentage of sintering additives have been manufactured by the so-called sacrificial template method at the Ceit-IK4 Technology Center (San Sebastián, Spain). Material stability under ionizing radiation and high temperature conditions considering electrical conductivity and microstructure has been evaluated at Ciemat (Madrid, Spain). Electrical conductivity was measured as a function of temperature before and after irradiation with 1.8 MeV electrons up to 23 MGy (∼10 ⁻⁶ dpa), and radiation induced conductivity (RIC) was also examined during irradiation at 550 °C for different dose rates (from 0.5 to 5 kGy/s). Electrical conductivity increase with irradiation dose was observed to occur. Posterior XRD analysis allowed interpret radiation induced modification of the electrical conductivity in terms of changes in the SiC crystalline structure. Although neither RIC nor electrical degradation is seen to be an issue when data is extrapolated to future fusion devices radiation levels, the observed phase transformation at relatively low ionizing dose might affect structural stability of SiC-based materials.
Silicon carbide nanocrystals produced by femtosecond laser pulses
2018, Diamond and Related Materials
Ultrashort laser pulses provide an excellent dry and clean patterning technique in nanoscience for preparing quantum dots and quantum wires as well as depositing nanocrystalline grains of technologically important semiconductors. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the formation of silicon carbide (SiC) nanocrystals with wide size distribution (70–700 nm) by irradiation of carbon layers deposited on silicon wafers with ultrashort laser pulses of 42 fs pulse duration with 1 kHz repetition rate. Surface morphology of the laser irradiated region monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) exhibits nanocrystalline agglomerates of various size in the vicinity of ablated craters. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements show the occurrence of ~ 100 nm size cubic and hexagonal SiC polytypes in addition to Si and amorphous silica nanoparticles. Independent sample diagnostics with Raman active phonon modes also indicates the formation and solidification of several SiC polytypes, which occur around the irradiated crater region. Further development of this laser-induced process and the accurate control of the laser pulse parameters can open new routes for preparing tailor-made SiC nanomaterials that have useful properties for electronic and biomedical applications.
Ion implantation technology for silicon carbide
2016, Surface and Coatings Technology
Citation Excerpt :
Here, Ea is the bandgap position for acceptors and EV is the position of the valence band maximum. However, it was found that B doping also had several drawbacks like formation of precipitates at higher fluence [19], formation of a deep level instead of the shallower acceptor state [20] and uncontrolled diffusion. Diffusion appeared in the lateral direction, as well as in the axial direction, both out of the surface and deeper into the sample via a transient enhanced diffusion (TED) mechanism [21,22].
Ion implantation is a key process technique for semiconductor materials, in particular silicon, for local tailoring of the semiconductor properties. The wide bandgap semiconductor silicon carbide (SiC) features outstanding material properties for high power and high temperature electronic devices, but the properties of SiC also make it difficult to manufacture and process the material. The development of implantation technology for SiC has therefore necessitated several changes from mainstream silicon implantation technology. This paper will discuss the difficulties with implantation of SiC for manufacturing of electronic devices and also describe how the problems have been overcome, for instance by implantation at elevated temperatures and using high temperature post-implant annealing.

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¹: Author of part I of this article.

²: Author of part II of this article.

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Electrical and optical characterization of SiC

Abstract

J. Cryst. Growth

Solid State Commun.

J. Lumin.

J. Phys. Chem. Solids

J. Phys. Chem. Solids

J. Lumin.

Solid State Commun.

Appl. Phys. Lett.

Phillips Res. Rep.

Appl. Phys. A

J. Appl. Phys.

Phys. Rev. B

Phys. Stat. Sol.

Phys. Rev. B

IEEE Trans. Electron. Devices

J. Appl. Phys.

J. Appl. Phys.

J. Appl. Phys.

Phys. Rev.

Appl. Phys. Lett.

Appl. Phys. Lett.

Appl. Phys. Lett.

Appl. Phys. Lett.

Phys. Rev.

Sov. Phys. Semicond.

Phys. Rev. B

Sov. Phys. Semicond.

J. Appl. Phys.

J. Appl. Phys.

Sov. Phys. Semicond.

Appl. Phys. Lett.

PhD Thesis

Mat. Res. Bull.