Enhancement of Carrier Lifetimes in n-Type 4H-SiC Epitaxial Layers by Improved Surface Passivation

Carrier lifetimes in n-type 4H-SiC epitaxial layers are limited by several factors such as deep levels, surface recombination, and recombination in the substrate. In this study, the carrier lifetime is significantly improved from 0.68 to 13.1 µs by eliminating deep levels and by improving surface passivation. Deep levels can be almost eliminated by two-step annealing as reported before, and the surface recombination can be reduced by passivating the surface with a deposited oxide annealed in nitric oxide at 1300 °C. Major recombination paths are discussed based on numerical simulation.