Characterization of 4H-SiC substrates and epilayers by Fourier transform infrared reflectance spectroscopy

The infrared reflectance spectra of both 4H–SiC substrates and epilayers are measured in a wave number range from 400 cm 1 to 4000 cm 1 using a Fourier-transform spectrometer. The thicknesses of the 4H–SiC epilayers and the electrical properties, including the free-carrier concentrations and the mobilities of both the 4H–SiC substrates and the epilayers, are characterized through full line-shape fitting analyses. The correlations of the theoretical spectral profiles with the 4H–SiC electrical properties in the 30 cm 1 –4000 cm 1 and 400 cm 1 –4000 cm 1 spectral regions are established by introducing a parameter defined as error quadratic sum. It is indicated that their correlations become stronger at a higher carrier concentration and in a wider spectral region (30 cm 1 –4000 cm 1 ). These results suggest that the infrared reflectance technique can be used to accurately determine the thicknesses of the epilayers and the carrier concentrations, and the mobilities of both lightly and heavily doped 4H–SiC wafers.     

Determination of the transport properties in 4H-SiC wafers by Raman scattering measurement

The free carrier density and mobility in n-type 4H-SiC substrates and epilayers were determined by accurately analysing the frequency shift and the full-shape of the longitudinal optic phonon--plasmon coupled (LOPC) modes, and compared with those determined by Hall-effect measurement and that provided by the vendors. The transport properties of thick and thin 4H-SiC epilayers grown in both vertical and horizontal reactors were also studied. The free carrier density ranges between 2×10¹⁸ cm^-3 and 8×10¹⁸ cm^-3 with a carrier mobility of 30--55 cm²/(V·s) for n-type 4H-SiC substrates and 1×10¹⁶--3×10¹⁶ cm^-3 with mobility of 290--490 cm²/(V·s) for both thick and thin 4H-SiC epilayers grown in a horizontal reactor, while thick 4H-SiC epilayers grown in vertical reactor have a slightly higher carrier concentration of around 8.1×10¹⁶ cm^-3 with mobility of 380 cm²/(V·s). It was shown that Raman spectroscopy is a potential technique for determining the transport properties of 4H-SiC wafers with the advantage of being able to probe very small volumes and also being non-destructive. This is especially useful for future mass production of 4H-SiC epi-wafers.