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Carrier Lifetimes in Lightly-Doped p-Type 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layers Enhanced by Post-growth Processes and Surface Passivation

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Abstract

We investigated limiting factors of carrier lifetimes and their enhancement by post-growth processes in lightly-doped p-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers (N A ∼ 2 × 1014 cm−3). We focused on bulk recombination, surface recombination, and interface recombination at the epilayer/substrate, respectively. The carrier lifetime of 2.8 μs in an as-grown epilayer was improved to 10 μs by the combination of VC-elimination processes and hydrogen annealing. By employing surface passivation with deposited SiO2 followed by POCl3 annealing, a long carrier lifetime of 16 μs was obtained in an oxidized epilayer. By investigating carrier lifetimes in a self-standing p-type epilayer, it was revealed that the interface recombination at the epilayer/substrate was smaller than the surface recombination on a bare surface. We found that the VC-elimination process, hydrogen annealing, and surface passivation are all important for improving carrier lifetimes in lightly-doped p-type epilayers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electronic Science and Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 615 8510, Japan

    T. Okuda, T. Kimoto & J. Suda

  2. Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 240-0196, Japan

    T. Miyazawa & H. Tsuchida

Authors
  1. T. Okuda
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  2. T. Miyazawa
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  3. H. Tsuchida
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  4. T. Kimoto
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  5. J. Suda
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Correspondence to T. Okuda.

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Okuda, T., Miyazawa, T., Tsuchida, H. et al. Carrier Lifetimes in Lightly-Doped p-Type 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layers Enhanced by Post-growth Processes and Surface Passivation. J. Electron. Mater. 46, 6411–6417 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-017-5677-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-017-5677-4

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