Impurities and defects in 4H silicon carbide

The widespread use of 4H silicon carbide (4H-SiC) is just around the corner since high-power electronics based on 4H-SiC are increasingly fabricated to enable the low-carbon development of the world. Quantum technologies are also intensively explored by scrutinizing 4H-SiC as a platform for wafer-scale integration of semiconductor and quantum technologies. Given the importance of impurities and defects for any semiconductor, comprehensive and insightful understanding of impurities and defects in 4H-SiC is imperative. In this Perspective, we summarize recent experimental and theoretical advances in researches on impurities and defects in 4H-SiC after briefly reviewing the history of 4H-SiC. Impurity engineering and defect engineering for the realization of the full potential of 4H-SiC are also discussed. Challenges for the study on impurities and defects in 4H-SiC are finally outlined.

Automated summary

The widespread application of 4H silicon carbide (4H-SiC) is imminent due to the increasing fabrication of high-power electronics based on 4H-SiC, promoting low-carbon development worldwide. Additionally, researchers are intensively exploring 4H-SiC as a platform for wafer-scale integration of semiconductor and quantum technologies in the field of quantum technologies. Given the significance of impurities and defects in semiconductors, a comprehensive understanding of impurities and defects in 4H-SiC is crucial. This Perspective summarizes recent experimental and theoretical advancements in impurity and defect research in 4H-SiC, along with a brief historical overview. Furthermore, the discussion covers impurity engineering and defect engineering to fully realize the potential of 4H-SiC, followed by an outline of the challenges in studying impurities and defects in 4H-SiC.