Vandium Precursors for Semi-Insulating SiC Epilayers

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an ideal semiconductor material for high temperature, high frequency, and high power electronic devices. A SiC technology analogous to silicon - on -insulator (SOI) will be feasible if a suitable dopant precursor and epitaxial growth technique to produce semi-insulating SiC can be developed. Vanadium is an attractive dopant for the formation of semi-insulating SiC. In Phase I, Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (ATMI) will synthesize and characterize vanadium precursors for use as in-situ dopants to produce semi-insulating SiC epilayers. In-situ vanadium doped SiC epitaxial films will be grown using three different downselected precursors. Correlations between the vanadium concentration, growth conditions, and the structural and electrical properties, will be made for films grown using the precursors. The optimal vanadium precursor material and growth conditions will be identified. In Phase II, the vanadium precursor synthesis will be refined. The V-doping process will also be optimized, and prototype SOI structures will be developed and grown. Devices employing vanadium doped insulating layers will be grown, fabricated, and tested. Phase III will focus on commercialization of vanadium precursors and vanadium doped SI SiC epilayers and device structures.