Nitridation of the SiO(2)/SiC interface by N(+) implantation: Hall versus field effect mobility in n-channel planar 4H-SiC MOSFETs

In this paper the electrical and structural characteristics of n-MOSFETs fabricated on 4H-SiC with a process based on nitrogen (N) implantation in the channel region before the growth of the gate oxide are reported for low (5x10(18) cm(-3)) and high (6x10(19) cm(-3)) N concentration at the SiO(2)/SiC interface. The electron mobility and the free carrier concentration in the MOSFET channel were evaluated by Hall effect measurement. The MOSFETs with the higher N concentration had the best electrical characteristics in terms of threshold voltage and field effect mobility, in spite of a lowering of the electron mobility in the channel. The latter is a negative drawback of the fabrication process that probably can be ascribed to an incomplete recovery of the implantation damage or to a high density of interstitial N atoms present in the channel region. In fact, the MOSFETs with the superior electrical performances were fabricated with the higher N(+) dose and the shorter thermal oxidation time. However, no evidence of extended defects, clusters or nano-particles in SiC at the interface with the gate oxide was found in every SiC MOSFETs devices observed by electron transmission microscopy.