Study of Surface Defects in 4H-SiC Schottky Diodes Using a Scanning Kelvin Probe

Abstract

Abstract. In the present paper we attempt to study and explain the increased leakage currents in Schottky diodes with an integrated p-n-structure. By a scanning Kelvin probe method (vibrating capacitor) were obtained the local variations of surface contact potential difference (CPD) for the chips with large and small leakage currents. It is shown that samples with higher leakage currents have smaller surface potential barrier. The SEM investigations revealed that a critical role in increasing leakage currents play the dislocations penetrating from the substrate into the epitaxial layer.