Time Domain and Frequency Analysis of Random Telegraph Signal and the Contributions of G-R Centres to I-V Instabilities in 4H-SiC MESFETs

Abstract

Our work is focused on the identification of defects responsible for current fluctuations at the origin of low frequency noise or random telegraphic signals in 4H-SiC MESFETs on semiinsulating (SI) substrates. We show that devices having instabilities have DC output characteristics with random discrete fluctuations of the drain current. The RTS noise parameters analysis (amplitude, high and low state time durations) as a function of temperature and bias voltage provides the signature of the involved traps (activation energy and cross section both for emission and capture). From the power spectral density of the drain current noise (PSD) we have measured the cut-off frequency of a single trap even at very low frequencies (from 0.1 Hz) and we propose that the noise responsible of RTS fluctuations is a generation-recombination noise. Finally, it is shown that the frequency analysis of the random telegraphic signal is a well-suited tool for the study of single defects in very small devices.