Transition layers at the SiO2∕SiC interface

作者：Tsvetanka Zheleva, Aivars J. Lelis, Gerd Duscher, Fude Liu, Igor Levin, Mrinal K. Das · 发表于：Applied Physics Letters · 年份：2008 · DOI：10.1063/1.2949081 · 被引用次数：156 · 研究领域：Silicon Carbide Semiconductor Technologies、Semiconductor materials and devices、Semiconductor materials and interfaces

The electrical performance of SiC-based microelectronic devices is strongly affected by the densities of interfacial traps introduced by the chemical and structural changes at the SiO2∕SiC interface during processing. We analyzed the structure and chemistry of this interface for the thermally grown SiO2∕4H-SiC heterostructure using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Z-contrast scanning TEM, and spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy. The analyses revealed the presence of distinct layers, several nanometers thick, on each side of the interface; additionally, partial amorphization of the top SiC surface was observed. These interfacial layers were attributed to the formation of a ternary Si–C–O phase during thermal oxidation.