Control of Inclined Sidewall Angles of 4H-SiC Mesa and Trench Structures

Abstract

The sloped sidewall angle in 4H-SiC mesa structure could be controlled by a thermal etching at 900oC in chlorine (Cl2) based ambience. 4H-SiC C face with 8o off substrate was used. The SiO2 layers for the etching mask were formed by a deposited SiO2 layer or a thermally oxidized layer. Thermal etching was carried out at Cl2 ambience at 900oC for 15 minutes. The surface morphologies of the mesa structures were observed with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). The sloped angles at the mesa sidewalls using deposited SiO2 mask and thermal SiO2 mask were about 23o and 60o, respectively. These results mean that the angle of sloped sidewall can change by mask fabrication method.