Reduction of Interface State Density in 4H-SiC MOS Capacitors Modified by ALD-Deposited Interlayers

This study proposed an innovative method for growing gate oxide on silicon carbide (SiC), where silicon oxide (SiO₂) was fabricated on a deposited Al₂O₃ layer, achieving high quality gate oxide. A thin Al₂O₃ passivation layer was deposited via atomic layer deposition (ALD), followed by Si deposition and reoxidation to fabricate a MOS structure. The effects of different ALD growth cycles on the interface chemical composition, trap density, breakdown characteristics, and bias stress stability of the MOS capacitors were systematically investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed that an ALD Al₂O₃ passivation layer with 10 growth cycles effectively suppresses the formation of the proportion of Si-O_xC_y bonds. Additionally, the SiO₂/Al₂O₃/SiC gate stack with 10 ALD growth cycles exhibited optimal electrical properties, including a minimum interface state density (<i>D</i>_it) value of 3 × 10¹¹ cm^-2 eV^-1 and a breakdown field (<i>E</i>_bd) of 10.9 MV/cm. We also systematically analyzed the bias stress stability of the capacitors at room temperature and elevated temperatures. Analysis of flat-band voltage (Δ<i>V</i>_fb) and midgap voltage (Δ<i>V</i>_mg) hysteresis after high-temperature positive and negative bias stress demonstrated that incorporating a thin Al₂O₃ layer at the interface is the key factor in enhancing the stability of <i>V</i>_fb and midgap voltage <i>V</i>_mg.