Photo-Assisted Corona-Charge Characterization of Wide Bandgap Interfaces with Deep Traps Invisible in Standard C-V

Wide bandgap semiconductor technology has been generating a great deal of attention due to its fundamental advantages in high power electronics. Understanding and effective control of interfacial properties belong to a group of critical issues requiring progress. In this work, we report progress in wide bandgap interface characterization, achieved using photo-ionization of deep traps under a non-equilibrium condition created by corona-charge bias in deep depletion. This characterization capability is demonstrated on oxidized n-type epitaxial SiC with deep interfacial traps invisible in standard C-V. These traps, initially present at high density, are shown to be reduced by half after a wet anneal. The photo-ionization technique is incorporated in commercially available non-contact C-V (CnCV) metrology [1,2] providing a non-invasive, cost and time saving metrology that benefits development research as well as device fabrication.