Based on the insight that the Fermi level in a metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) channel is set in the conduction band, due to the quantum confinement of the channel electrons, this letter provides an experimental demonstration that the near-interface traps responsible for degradation of channel-carrier mobility in SiC MOSFETs are energetically aligned to the conduction band of SiC. The experimental demonstration is based on conductance measurements of MOS capacitors in accumulation. The accumulation conductance does not change with temperature, which demonstrates that there is channel-carrier communication with the near-interface traps by tunneling.
The
integration of micro- and nanoelectronics into or onto biomedical
devices can facilitate advanced diagnostics and treatments of digestive
disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. Recent developments
in gastrointestinal endoscopy and balloon catheter technologies introduce
promising paths for minimally invasive surgeries to treat these diseases.
However, current therapeutic endoscopy systems fail to meet requirements
in multifunctionality, biocompatibility, and safety, particularly
when integrated with bioelectronic devices. Here, we report materials,
device designs, and assembly schemes for transparent and stable cubic
silicon carbide (3C-SiC)-based bioelectronic systems that facilitate
tissue ablation, with the capability for integration onto the tips
of endoscopes. The excellent optical transparency of SiC-on-glass
(SoG) allows for direct observation of areas of interest, with superior
electronic functionalities that enable multiple biological sensing
and stimulation capabilities to assist in electrical-based ablation
procedures. Experimental studies on phantom, vegetable, and animal
tissues demonstrated relatively short treatment times and low electric
field required for effective lesion removal using our SoG bioelectronic
system. In vivo experiments on an animal model were
conducted to explore the versatility of SoG electrodes for peripheral
nerve stimulation, showing an exciting possibility for the therapy
of neural disorders through electrical excitation. The multifunctional
features of SoG integrated devices indicate their high potential for
minimally invasive, cost-effective, and outcome-enhanced surgical
tools, across a wide range of biomedical applications.
Measurements of the near-interface oxide traps (NIOTs) aligned to the conduction band of siliconcarbide (SiC) are of particular importance as these active defects are responsible for degradation of the channel-carrier mobility in 4H-SiC MOSFETs. In this brief, a new method for measurement of the active NIOTs with energy levels aligned to the conduction band is proposed. The method utilizes transient-current measurements on 4H-SiC MOS capacitors biased in accumulation. Nitrided oxide and dry oxide are used to illustrate the applicability of the proposed measurement method. Index Terms-4H-SiC MOS capacitor, 4H-SiC MOSFET, active near-interface oxide traps (NIOTs), NIOTs, transient current.
The SiC/SiO 2 interface is a central component of many SiC electronic devices. Defects intrinsic to this interface can have a profound effect on their operation and reliability. It is therefore crucial to both understand the nature of these defects and develop characterization methods to enable optimized SiCbased devices. Here we make use of confocal microscopy to address single SiC/SiO 2-related defects and show the technique to be a noncontact, nondestructive, spatially resolved and rapid means of assessing thequality of the SiC/SiO 2 interface. This is achieved by a systematic investigation of the defect density of the SiC/SiO 2 interface by varying the parameters of a nitric oxide passivation anneal after oxidation. Standard capacitance-based characterization techniques are used to benchmark optical emission rates and densities of the optically active SiC/SiO 2-related defects. Further insight into the nature of these defects is provided by low-temperature optical measurements on single defects.
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