Defect Profiling of Oxide-Semiconductor Interfaces Using Low-Energy Muons

2022/06/02 by Martins, Maria Inês Mendes, Kumar, Piyush, Woerle, Judith +3 · 1 citation
#FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Other Condensed Matter (cond-mat.other)

paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2206.00925

Abstract

Muon spin rotation with low-energy muons (LEμSR) is a powerful nuclear method where electrical and magnetic properties of surface-near regions and thin films can be studied on a length scale of ≈\SI200\nano\meter. In this work, we show the potential of utilizing low-energy muons for a depth-resolved characterization of oxide-semiconductor interfaces, i.e. for silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (4H-SiC). Silicon dioxide (SiO₂) grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and by thermal oxidation of the SiO₂-semiconductor interface are compared with respect to interface and defect formation. The nanometer depth resolution of μallows for a clear distinction between the oxide and semiconductor layers, while also quantifying the extension of structural changes caused by the oxidation of both Si and SiC.

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