Mechanisms responsible for improvement of 4H-SiC/SiO2 interface properties by nitridation

An analysis of fast and slow traps at the interface of 4H-SiC with oxides grown in O-2, N2O, and NO reveals that the dominant positive effect of nitridation is due to a significant reduction of the slow electron trap density. These traps are likely to be related to defects located in the near-interfacial oxide layer. In addition, the analysis confirms that the fast interface states related to clustered carbon are also reduced by nitridation. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.