Hirofumi Matsuhata

Effect of Structural Parameters on Superconductivity in Fluorine-Free LnFeAsO1-y (Ln = La, Nd)

The crystal structure of LnFeAsO 1- y (Ln = La, Nd) has been studied by the powder neutron diffraction technique. The superconducting phase diagram of NdFeAsO 1- y is established as a function of oxygen content which is determined by Rietveld refinement. The small As–Fe bond length suggests that As and Fe atoms are connected covalently. FeAs 4 -tetrahedrons transform toward a regular shape with increasing oxygen deficiency. Superconducting transition temperatures seem to attain maximum values for regular FeAs 4 -tetrahedrons.

Growth of Shockley type stacking faults upon forward degradation in 4H-SiC p-i-n diodes

The growth of Shockley type stacking faults in p-i-n diodes fabricated on the C-face of 4H-SiC during forward current operation was investigated using Berg-Barrett X-ray topography and photoluminescence imaging. After forward current experiment, Shockley type stacking faults were generated from very short portions of basal plane dislocations lower than the conversion points to threading edge dislocations in the epitaxial layer. The growth behavior of Shockley type stacking faults was discussed. Growth of stacking faults in the substrates was not observed.

Relation between Defects on 4H-SiC Epitaxial Surface and Gate Oxide Reliability

Time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) measurement of MOS capacitors on an n-type 4 ° off-axis 4H-SiC(0001) wafer free from step-bunching showed specific breakdown in the Weibull distribution plots. By observing the as-grown SiC-epi wafer surface, two kinds of epitaxial surface defect, Trapezoid-shape and Bar-shape defects, were confirmed with confocal microscope. Charge to breakdown (Qbd) of MOS capacitors including an upstream line of these defects is almost the same value as that of a Wear-out breakdown region. On the other hand, the gate oxide breakdown of MOS capacitors occurred at a downstream line. It has revealed that specific part of these defects causes degradation of oxide reliability. Cross-sectional TEM images of MOS structure show that gate oxide thickness of MOS capacitor is non-uniform on the downstream line. Moreover, AFM observation of as-grown and oxidized SiC-epitaxial surfaces indicated that surface roughness of downstream line becomes 3-4 times larger than the as-grown one by oxidation process.

Role of an ultra-thin AlN/GaN superlattice interlayer on the strain engineering of GaN films grown on Si(110) and Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

We investigate the role of an ultra-thin AlN/GaN superlattice interlayer (SL-IL) on the strain engineering of the GaN films grown on Si(110) and Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. It is found that micro-cracks limitted only at the SL-IL position are naturally generated. These micro-cracks play an important role in relaxing the tensile strain caused by the difference of the coefficient of thermal expansion between GaN and Si and keeping the residual strain in the crack-free GaN epilayers resulted from the SL-IL during the growth. The mechanism understanding of the strain modulation by the SL-IL in the GaN epilayers grown on Si substrates makes it possible to design new heterostructures of III-nitrides for optic and electronic device applications.

Contrast analysis of Shockley partial dislocations in 4H-SiC observed by synchrotron Berg–Barrett X-ray topography

Shockley partial dislocations in 4H-SiC were observed using monochromatic synchrotron X-ray topography with a grazing-incidence Bragg-case geometry, that is, Berg–Barrett topography. The contrast of partial dislocations at the edges of Shockley-type stacking faults is discussed in terms of whether they have C- or Si-core edge components, or screw components. The dissociated state of basal-plane dislocation is discussed on a basis of the stacking sequence for basal-planes in the 4H-SiC crystal structure. It is expected that the results obtained in this study will be useful for characterizing Shockley-type stacking faults in Berg–Barrett topography.

Origin Analyses of Obtuse Triangular Defects in 4deg.-Off 4H-SiC Epitaxial Wafers by Electron Microscopy and by Synchrotron X-Ray Topography

Triangular shaped defects with obtuse-angles at tops and long bases are often observed in surfaces of epitaxial films. We have investigated the origins of them, and it became clear that these defects without clear origins were formed by contaminations of tantalum carbide particles. Formations of micro-order pipes at the origin points of these defects were also observed. These micro-order pipes did not accompany strain and dislocations around them, though their appearances were very similar to the ones so-called micro-pipes.

Micro-structural analysis of local damage introduced in subsurface regions of 4H-SiC wafers during chemo-mechanical polishing

The surface morphology and lattice defect structures in the subsurface regions of 4H-SiC wafers introduced during chemo-mechanical polishing (CMP) were studied by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It is known that local damage consisting of high-density lattice defects is introduced in the wafers during the current CMP, however, optical microscopy showed that the surface was very flat and clean without any presence of surface defects. Specifically, this study focused on the detailed analysis of such lattice defect structures. The high-density lattice defects locally introduced in the subsurface regions consisted of nano-scale surface scratches, high-density basal-plane dislocation loops, Shockley-type stacking faults, and Y-shaped defects. Two types of dislocation loops were introduced near the scratches that were selected for further study: nearly perfect basal-plane dislocations, which were accompanied by narrow stacking faults, and apparent partial basal-plane dislocati...

Origin Analyses of Trapezoid-Shape Defects in 4-Deg.-off 4H-SiC Epitaxial Wafers by Synchrotron X-Ray Topography

The trapezoid-shape defects are one of the most common surface defects on current 4H-SiC epitaxial film surface since they give rise negative impact for MOS-devices. We have investigated structures and origins of the defects. It is discovered that the possible origins of the trapezoid-shape defects are basal plane dislocations (BPDs), threading edge dislocations (TEDs), threading screw dislocations (TSDs),and the short dislocation loops introduced under scratches.

Characterization of Triangular-Defects in 4° off 4H-SiC Epitaxial Wafers by Synchrotron X-Ray Topography and by Transmission Electron Microscopy

We report our investigation results on triangular-defects formed on 4deg. off 4H-SiC epi- taxial wafers. Triangular-defects that had neither down-falls nor basal-plane dislocations previously reported as origins of triangular-defects at the tips of triangle were investigated by TEM. Our TEM results revealed that foreign materials contamination that were different from well-known down- -falls in size and in composition caused one of the defect formations and abnormal domain forma- tions were implied to occur and thought to relate to defect formations. We also report that several types of microstructure existed in the isosceles of defect during dislocation analyses around triangular-defects by X-ray topography.

Effects of Surface Morphological Defects and Crystallographic Defects on Reliability of Thermal Oxides on C-Face

The causes of extrinsic failures in time-dependent dielectric breakdown characteristics of gate oxide on C-face of 4H-SiC are examined by comparing breakdown points of tested gate oxides with the images of X-ray topography and those of differential interference contrast microscopy. We have concluded as follows: (1) surface morphological defects that originate from threading screw dislocations degrade reliability of gate oxides. (2) These surface defects are not necessarily found on every wafer. (3) Crystallographic defects are not killer defects of MOSFET per se.