IP Library Granted Patent US 11,211,248
Granted Patent B2
US 11,211,248 · App. 16/976,667 · Granted Dec 28, 2021

SiC electronic device fabricated by Al/Be co-implantation

Inventors: Giovanni Alfieri (Baden, CH); Vinoth Sundaramoorthy (Wettingen, CH)
Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG
H01L21/046H01L29/167H01L29/1608H01L29/872
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,211,248
App. No.
16/976,667
Granted
Dec 28, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for p-type doping of a silicon carbide layer includes first implantation step of implanting aluminum dopants into a preselected region of the silicon carbide layer by ion implantation, an annealing step of annealing the silicon carbide layer after performing the first implantation step, a second implantation step of implanting beryllium dopants into the preselected region by ion implantation before the annealing step. A ratio of the total aluminum dose in the first implantation step to the total beryllium dose in the second implantation step is in a range between 0.1 and 10.

Claims (27)

1. A method for p-type doping of a silicon carbide layer, the method comprising:

providing the silicon carbide layer;

performing a first implantation step of implanting aluminum dopants into a preselected region of the silicon carbide layer by ion implantation;

performing an annealing step of annealing the silicon carbide layer after performing the first implantation step; and

performing a second implantation step of implanting beryllium dopants into the preselected region by ion implantation before the annealing step, wherein a ratio of the total aluminum dose in the first implantation step to the total beryllium dose in the second implantation step is in a range between 0.1 and 10.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein during a time period between the first implantation step and the second implantation step the silicon carbide layer is kept at a temperature below 1200° C.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein during a time period between the first implantation step and the second implantation step the silicon carbide layer is kept at a temperature below 900° C.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an annealing temperature in the annealing step is above 1500° C.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the annealing temperature in the annealing step is below 1800° C.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the annealing temperature in the annealing step is above 1650° C.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the preselected region of the silicon carbide layer includes nitrogen atoms at a concentration of at least 10 16 cm −3 .

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein at least the preselected region of the silicon carbide layer includes nitrogen atoms at a concentration of at least 10 18 cm −3 .

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first implantation step is performed before the second implantation step.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a total aluminum implantation dose in the first implantation step is at least 5×10 13 cm −2 .

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the total aluminum implantation dose in the first implantation step is below 5×10 15 cm −2 .

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an activation ratio at room temperature calculated as a ratio between a sheet concentration of free holes in the preselected region after the annealing step and a total dose, which is the sum of the total dose of beryllium and of the total dose of aluminum, is above 20%.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the activation ratio at room temperature is above 40%.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the total aluminum dose in the first implantation step to the total beryllium dose in the second implantation step is in a range between 0.5 and 2.

15. A silicon carbide layer comprising a p-type region, wherein the following inequality applies:

0.1<[Al]/[Be]<10, wherein [Al] is a concentration of aluminum atoms in the p-type region, and [Be] is a concentration of beryllium atoms in the p-type region.

16. The silicon carbide layer according to claim 15 , wherein [Al]>1×10 18 cm −3 .

17. The silicon carbide layer according to claim 15 , wherein a concentration of nitrogen atoms [N] in the p-type region is at least 1×10 16 cm −3 .

18. The silicon carbide layer according to claim 15 , wherein the following inequality applies:

0.1<p/([Al]+[Be])<1, wherein p is a concentration of free holes in the p-type region.

19. The silicon carbide layer according to claim 15 , wherein the free hole concentration p in the p-type region at room temperature is higher than 1×10 18 cm −3 .

20. The silicon carbide layer according to claim 19 , wherein the free hole concentration p in the p-type region at room temperature is higher than 2×10 19 cm −3 .

21. The silicon carbide layer according to claim 15 , wherein the following inequality applies: 0.5<[Al]/[Be]<2.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded Nov 13, 2023
From: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
Reel/Frame 065548/0905 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 31, 2021
From: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 058601/0692 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2020
From: ALFIERI, GIOVANNI; SUNDARAMOORTHY, VINOTH
To: ABB POWER GRIDS SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 053720/0122 →