Far-Action Radiation Defects and Gettering Effects in 4H-SiC Implanted with Al Ions

Abstract

Structural features of 4H-SiC structures with CVD epitaxial layers, subjected to high-dose Al ion implantation and short high-temperature pulse annealing, have been studied using secondary-ion mass-spectroscopy, transmission electron spectroscopy, local cathodoluminescence and cathodoluminescence imaging on cross-sectionally cleaved surfaces of the structures. An accelerated diffusion of radiation defects, a “long-range action effect”, with a diffusion coefficient of 10 -9 cm2 s-1 after high-dose Al ion implantation and the gettering effect after subsequent pulsed thermal annealing have been observed for the first time. After a short high-temperature annealing, the quality of the starting material is improved in the course of formation of implantation-doped p+-n junctions due to defect gettering. As a result of the decrease in the concentration of optical active defect centers as well of deep centers by an order of magnitude in CVD layer, an increase in the diffusion length of minority carriers (Lp) by a factor of 1.5-2 was obtained.