Deep levels created by low energy electron irradiation in 4H-SiC.

With low energy electron irradiation in the 80–250 keV range, we were able to create only those intrinsic defects related to the initial displacements of carbon atoms in the silicon carbide lattice. Radiation induced majority and minority carrier traps were analyzed using capacitance transient techniques. Four electron traps (EH1, Z₁/Z₂, EH3, and EH7) and one hole trap (HS2) were detected in the measured temperature range. Their concentrations show linear increase with the irradiation dose, indicating that no divacancies or di-interstitials are generated. None of the observed defects was found to be an intrinsic defect–impurity complex. The energy dependence of the defect introduction rates and annealing behavior are presented and possible microscopic models for the defects are discussed. No further defects were detected for electron energies above the previously assigned threshold for the displacement of the silicon atom at 250 keV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]