Electrical characterization of surface and interface potentials on SiC

Contact free vibrating capacitor results have shown that the SiC surface is more stable, compared to Si, and it is possible to identify the different (Si or C) planes on SiC substrates. The surface charge density seems to be higher after compression welding process. Electrostatic (corona) charge on the surface results in accumulation and depletion, and probably avalanche breakdown instead of equilibrium inversion. However, the equilibrium Q–V curve still can be measured starting from the inversion region. Among C–V methods the capabilities of V–Q and mercury C–V have been investigated, as two major electrical measurement techniques for SiC qualification. SiC–silicon-dioxide interfaces and SiC epitaxial layers were characterized with HF/LF C–V and V–Q measurement techniques. These methods were developed basically for Si measurements, but they could easily be adapted for measuring SiC too.