Influence of irradiation wavelength during laser-assisted doping of 4H-silicon carbide in liquid phase

Abstract

Laser-assisted doping of silicon carbide (SiC) substrates is challenging due to the low diffusion coefficient of dopant atoms and the chemically inert nature of SiC. Single crystal intrinsic 4H-SiC substrate is irradiated with neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd³⁺):YAG laser with wavelengths of 1064, 355 and 266 nm, and krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser with the wavelength of 248 nm under liquid phase dopant sources. Different liquid solutions were used as dopant sources for aluminium (Al) and phosphorus (P). SiC was transparent to 1064 and 355 nm due to low absorption coefficients, while 266 and 248 nm showed better coupling due to higher absorption coefficients and led to the diffusion of atoms. The electrical resistance of the substrates was measured to be lower than 1000 kΩ after diffusion. Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) studies showed that both laser wavelengths of 248 nm and 266 nm resulted in doping of Al and P, with the surface concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 at.% and from 0.24 to 0.6 at.%, respectively. Two-dimensional thermo-temporal simulation of the laser pulse interaction in the liquid phase revealed that unlike in air, during irradiation with 266 nm laser under liquid, the surface temperature of the substrate was slightly lower. However, the subsurface temperature increased along the depth by a few microns. Similarly, simulation studies with longer pulse irradiation also show that high temperature was maintained for a longer time, indicating improved dopant diffusion into the 4H-SiC substrate.