Determination of charge carrier concentration in n- and p-doped SiC based on optical absorption measurements

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of doping on absorption for various SiC polytypes, i.e., n-type (N) 6H–SiC, 4H–SiC, and 15R–SiC, p-type (Al) 6H–SiC, and 4H–SiC, and p-type (B) 6H–SiC. For these polytypes the band-gap narrowing with higher doping concentration is observed. In addition, for n-type doping below band-gap absorption bands at 464 nm for 4H–SiC, at 623 nm for 6H–SiC, and at 422 and 734 nm for 15R–SiC are observed. The peak intensities of these absorption bands show a linear relation to the charge carrier concentration obtained from Hall measurements. The corresponding calibration factors are given. As an application a purely optical wafer mapping of the spatial variation of the charge carrier concentration is demonstrated.