Method of manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor substrate and method of manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device
09633840 ยท 2017-04-25
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
C23C16/45523
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
H01L21/0262
ELECTRICITY
International classification
H01L21/20
ELECTRICITY
H01L21/02
ELECTRICITY
Abstract
A step of preparing a silicon carbide substrate (S11), a step of forming a first silicon carbide semiconductor layer on the silicon carbide substrate using a first source material gas (S12), and a step of forming a second silicon carbide semiconductor layer on the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer using a second source material gas (S13) are provided. In the step of forming a first silicon carbide semiconductor layer (S12) and the step of forming a second silicon carbide semiconductor layer (S13), ammonia gas is used as a dopant gas, and the first source material gas has a C/Si ratio of not less than 1.6 and not more than 2.2, the C/Si ratio being the number of carbon atoms to the number of silicon atoms.
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, comprising steps of: preparing a silicon carbide substrate; forming a first silicon carbide semiconductor layer on the silicon carbide substrate using a first source material gas; and forming a second silicon carbide semiconductor layer on the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer using a second source material gas, wherein an impurity concentration in the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer is higher than an impurity concentration in the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer, in the step of forming a first silicon carbide semiconductor layer and the step of forming a second silicon carbide semiconductor layer, ammonia gas being used as a dopant gas, the first source material gas having a C/Si ratio of not less than 1.6 and not more than 2.2, the C/Si ratio being the number of carbon atoms to the number of silicon atoms, a flow rate of the first source material gas being different from a flow rate of the second source material gas.
2. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer is smaller than the thickness of the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer.
3. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to claim 1, wherein the first source material gas and the second source material gas each contain monosilane and propane.
4. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to claim 1, wherein the impurity concentration in the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer is not less than 110.sup.14 cm.sup.3 and not more than 710.sup.15 cm.sup.3.
5. A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, comprising steps of: preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate; and processing the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, in the step of preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate being manufactured with the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to claim 1.
6. A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, comprising steps of: preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate; and processing the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, in the step of preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate being manufactured with the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to claim 1.
7. A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, comprising steps of: preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate; and processing the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, in the step of preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate being manufactured with the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to claim 2.
8. A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, comprising steps of: preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate; and processing the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, in the step of preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate being manufactured with the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to claim 3.
9. A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device, comprising steps of: preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate; and processing the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, in the step of preparing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate being manufactured with the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to claim 4.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
(8) A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate according to this embodiment is a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate by stacking a plurality of silicon carbide epitaxial layers having different impurity concentrations on a silicon carbide substrate. Referring first to
(9) Silicon carbide substrate 1 is made of single-crystal silicon carbide, for example. The single-crystal silicon carbide has a hexagonal crystal structure, for example. Silicon carbide substrate 1 has a main surface 1A.
(10) Buffer layer 2 is formed on main surface 1A of silicon carbide substrate 1. Buffer layer 2 has n type conductivity and a thickness of 0.5 m. An n type impurity concentration in buffer layer 2 is approximately 110.sup.18 cm.sup.3. Buffer layer 2 has a main surface 2A.
(11) Drift layer 3 is formed on buffer layer 2. Drift layer 3 has n type conductivity and a thickness of 10 m. An n type impurity concentration in drift layer 3 is approximately 710.sup.15 cm.sup.3. Drift layer 3 has a main surface 3A, which serves as a main surface of silicon carbide semiconductor substrate 10.
(12) Referring now to
(13) First, in the step (S11), silicon carbide substrate 1 is prepared. Silicon carbide substrate 1 is made of single-crystal silicon carbide. Silicon carbide substrate 1 is disk-shaped and has a thickness of 350 m.
(14) Next, in the step (S12), buffer layer 2 is formed using a vapor phase epitaxy device on silicon carbide substrate 1 prepared in the previous step (S11). Referring to
(15) First, silicon carbide substrate 1 is placed in substrate holder 1 provided within CVD device 100. Then, a carrier gas containing hydrogen (H.sub.2), and a source material gas containing monosilane (SiH.sub.4), propane (C.sub.3H.sub.8), ammonia (NH.sub.3) and the like are introduced into CVD device 100 through a pipe 16. Here, each gas is introduced into the reaction chamber such that the gas has been thermally decomposed to a sufficient degree at the time when supplied onto main surface 1A of silicon carbide substrate 1. The gases may be mixed together before being introduced into the reaction chamber of CVD device 100, or may be mixed together within the reaction chamber of CVD device 100.
(16) Silicon carbide substrate 1 placed on substrate holder 11 receives a supply of the above-described carrier gas and source material gas while being heated, thus causing the formation of buffer layer 2 which is an epitaxial growth film doped with nitrogen (N) atoms on main surface 1A. Specifically, buffer layer 2 is formed under conditions including a growth temperature of not less than 1500 C. and not more than 1650 C., and a pressure of not less than 810.sup.3 Pa and not more than 1210.sup.3 Pa. Here, a flow rate of the NH.sub.3 gas is adjusted such that the n type impurity concentration in buffer layer 2 is approximately 110.sup.18 cm.sup.3. Buffer layer 2 has a thickness of approximately 0.5 m.
(17) In the first source material gas used to form buffer layer 2 in this step (S12), a ratio of the number of C atoms to the number of Si atoms (C/Si ratio) is not less than 1.6 and not more than 2.2. This is because the use of a source material gas having a C/Si ratio higher than 2.2 results in the occurrence of crystal defects in buffer layer 2 to be formed. This is also because the use of a source material gas having a C/Si ratio lower than 1.6 results in an increase in background concentration of N atoms in buffer layer 2 to be formed. To the extent that the background concentration of N atoms is allowed, the surface morphology of buffer layer 2 to be formed can be obtained if the C/Si ratio is not less than 1.0. A ratio of the number of Si atoms to the number of H atoms (Si/H ratio) is not less than 0.0002 and not more than 0.0006. A ratio of the number of ammonia molecules to the number of hydrogen molecules (NH.sub.3/H.sub.2 ratio) is not less than 2.010.sup.8 and not more than 1.010.sup.6.
(18) Next, in the step (S13), drift layer 3 is formed using the CVD device on buffer layer 2 formed in the previous step (S12). First, a carrier gas containing H.sub.2, and a source material gas containing SiH.sub.4, C.sub.3H.sub.8, NH.sub.3 and the like are introduced into the reaction chamber. Here, each gas is introduced into the reaction chamber such that the gas has been thermally decomposed to a sufficient degree at the time when supplied onto main surface 1A of silicon carbide substrate 1.
(19) Silicon carbide substrate 1 placed in the reaction chamber receives a supply of the above-described carrier gas and source material gas while being heated, thus causing the formation of drift layer 3 which is an epitaxial growth film doped with N atoms on buffer layer 2. Specifically, drift layer 3 is formed under conditions including a growth temperature of not less than 1500 C. and not more than 1650 C., and a pressure of not less than 810.sup.3 Pa and not more than 1210.sup.3 Pa. Here, a flow rate of the NH.sub.3 gas is adjusted such that the n type impurity concentration in drift layer 3 is approximately 710.sup.15 cm.sup.3. Drift layer 3 has a thickness of approximately not less than 10 m and not more than 15 m.
(20) In the second source material gas used to form drift layer 3 in this step (S13), the ratio of the number of C atoms to the number of Si atoms (C/Si ratio) is not less than 1.6 and not more than 2.2. This is for the same reason as that for the first source material gas in the previous step (S12). The ratio of the number of Si atoms to the number of H atoms (Si/H ratio) is not less than 0.0002 and not more than 0.0006. The ratio of the number of ammonia molecules to the number of hydrogen molecules (NH.sub.3/H.sub.2 ratio) is not less than 2.010.sup.8 and not more than 1.010.sup.6.
(21) After the formation of buffer layer 2 in the previous step (S12) is completed, this step (S13) may be performed successively by varying the flow rate and partial pressure of the material gas, with silicon carbide substrate 1 remaining on substrate holder 11. In other words, in the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment, the first source material gas and the second source material gas contain the same gaseous species with different flow rates and partial pressures of the gases. Accordingly, buffer layer 2 and drift layer 3 can be readily grown successively.
(22) What is particularly important in the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment is the C/Si ratio in the first source material gas used in the step (S12) and the second source material gas used in the step (S13).
(23) When a source material gas having a high C/Si ratio is used, although a silicon carbide epitaxial layer to be formed has good morphology, the amount of N atoms doped into the silicon carbide epitaxial layer is limited. Thus, the use of a source material gas having a high C/Si ratio results in difficulty in forming a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration.
(24) When a source material gas having a low C/Si ratio is used, on the other hand, although a silicon carbide epitaxial layer doped with a higher concentration of N atoms can be formed, the silicon carbide epitaxial layer has poorer morphology. Thus, the use of a source material gas having a low C/Si ratio results in difficulty in forming a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having good morphology.
(25) In a conventional method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, each silicon carbide epitaxial layer is formed using N.sub.2 gas as a dopant gas, and using a source material gas having a C/Si ratio of not less than 1.0 and not more than 1.5 regardless of the impurity concentration. Nitrogen molecules used for the dopant gas include a triple bond between nitrogen atoms, however. It is thus difficult to thermally decompose nitrogen molecules and introduce nitrogen atoms as an active species into the silicon carbide epitaxial layer. It is even more difficult to dope main surface 1A of the silicon carbide substrate with N atoms evenly within the surface. On the other hand, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate to be obtained has poor morphology and includes numerous defects. When each silicon carbide epitaxial layer is formed using a source material gas having a C/Si ratio of not less than 1.0 and not more than 1.5 in the conventional method, although the amount of introduced nitrogen atoms can be up to approximately 210.sup.18 cm.sup.3, the silicon carbide epitaxial layer includes numerous defects.
(26) That is, in the conventional method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate using N.sub.2 as a dopant gas, reducing the C/Si ratio in the source material gas so as to form an n type silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a higher impurity concentration than the current concentration results in even poorer morphology of the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate to be obtained. Increasing the C/Si ratio in the source material gas so as to improve the morphology as compared to the current morphology, on the other hand, results in even more difficulty in manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate including an n type silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration.
(27) In the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment, therefore, NH.sub.3 is used as a dopant gas, and a source material gas having a higher C/Si ratio than in the conventional method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate is used.
(28) NH.sub.3 requires a lower temperature than N.sub.2 for thermal decomposition, and is readily decomposed at a general growth temperature when forming a silicon carbide epitaxial layer (approximately between 1400 C. and 1700 C. as described above). N atoms are thus readily introduced as an active species into the silicon carbide epitaxial layer. As a result, even if the C/Si ratio is made higher than in the conventional method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a higher impurity concentration than in the conventional manufacturing method can be formed. Specifically, even if the C/Si ratio is not less than 1.6 and not more than 2.2, a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration of approximately 210.sup.18 cm.sup.3 can be formed. Furthermore, since the C/Si ratio can be made higher than in the conventional method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate having better morphology than conventional morphology can be fabricated.
(29) Furthermore, as described above, when N.sub.2 gas is used as a dopant gas as in the conventional method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, it is preferable to reduce the C/Si ratio so as to form a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration, however, this results in poorer morphology. For this reason, it has been difficult in terms of morphology to provide a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration as a top layer in a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate. In this case, the poor morphology of the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate needs to be suppressed by providing a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a low impurity concentration formed with a source material gas having an increased C/Si ratio on the above-described silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration.
(30) In contrast, the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment can form a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration using a source material gas having a high C/Si ratio, thus allowing the silicon carbide epitaxial layer to have good morphology. According to the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment, therefore, a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate having an arbitrary configuration can be fabricated without imposing limitations in terms of morphology.
(31) Moreover, since the source material gases having the same C/Si ratio can be used when forming the silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a relatively high impurity concentration and the silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a relatively low impurity concentration stacked on each other, they can be grown successively without changing the growth conditions other than the flow rate of the NH.sub.3 gas.
(32) As described above, the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment can readily manufacture a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate which includes a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration and which includes few crystal defects and has good morphology, by using N.sub.2 gas as a dopant gas, and employing the C/Si ratio of not less than 1.6 and not more than 2.2 in the source material gases used for growing the silicon carbide epitaxial layers.
(33) Although the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment includes buffer layer 2 having a thickness of 0.5 m and an impurity concentration of 110.sup.18 cm.sup.3 as a first silicon carbide semiconductor layer, and drift layer 3 having a thickness of 10 m and an impurity concentration of 710.sup.15 cm.sup.3 as a second silicon carbide semiconductor layer, the substrate is not limited to include these layers. For example, the substrate may include a low impurity concentration layer having an impurity concentration of approximately not less than 110.sup.14 cm.sup.3 and not more than 510.sup.15 cm.sup.3 and a thickness of 20 m, which is stacked on a high impurity concentration layer having an impurity concentration of approximately not more than 210.sup.18 cm.sup.3. Again, with this configuration, a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate having good morphology can be obtained using the above-described source material gases having the same C/Si ratio.
(34) Although the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment has a structure in which the two layers having different impurity concentrations are stacked on the silicon carbide substrate, the substrate may have a structure in which three or more layers having different impurity concentrations are stacked on the silicon carbide substrate in an arbitrary configuration. Again, with this configuration, a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate which includes a silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration and which includes few crystal defects and has good morphology can be obtained, as compared to a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate obtained with the conventional method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate.
(35) Although the CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) device is used as a vapor phase epitaxy device in the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment, the used device is not limited to this device. Any device capable of forming a silicon carbide epitaxial layer by vapor phase epitaxy can be used.
(36) In the step of forming the silicon carbide epitaxial layer, the morphology can be improved by increasing the growth temperature as well. A high growth temperature of not less than 1700 C. is required in order to improve the morphology by the growth temperature. Unfortunately, even if the growth temperature is not less than 1700 C., a silicon carbide epitaxial layer to be formed includes crystal defects to further deteriorate the epitaxial growth device. The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment can provide a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate having good morphology without increasing the growth temperature, as compared to the conventional method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate.
(37) In the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate of this embodiment, it is preferable that the growth temperature be not less than 1500 C. and not more than 1650 C. in both the step (S12) and step (S13). By employing this temperature range, the occurrence of defects can be more readily suppressed to provide a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate having good surface morphology.
(38) Referring now to
(39) In the step (S10), a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate is manufactured with the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor of this embodiment. Consequently, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate having good morphology can be prepared.
(40) In the step (S20), the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate prepared in the previous step (S10) is processed to manufacture a silicon carbide semiconductor device. Specifically, the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate is subjected to an ion implantation step, a trench formation step, a film formation step, an electrode formation step and the like, to manufacture a silicon carbide semiconductor device. Consequently, the silicon carbide semiconductor device can effectively utilize the silicon carbide epitaxial layer having a high impurity concentration included in the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate. In addition, performance degradation of the silicon carbide semiconductor device resulting from defects and poor morphology of the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate can be suppressed, thus allowing for high-yield manufacturing of silicon carbide semiconductor devices.
EXAMPLES
(41) Examples of the present invention will be described below.
1. Evaluation Samples
(i) Example Sample
(42) First, a silicon carbide substrate having an outer diameter of 4 inches and a thickness of 350 m was prepared.
(43) Then, a CVD device was used to grow a silicon carbide epitaxial layer on a main surface of the silicon carbide substrate, and form a buffer layer having an impurity concentration of 110.sup.18 cm to a thickness of 0.5 m. Here, a carrier gas containing H.sub.2, and a source material gas containing SiH.sub.4, C.sub.3H.sub.8 and NH.sub.3 were introduced into a reaction chamber of the CVD device under conditions such that the C/Si ratio is 1.9, Si/H is 0.0004, and NH.sub.3/H.sub.2 is 110.sup.5 cm.sup.3. The flow rate of NH.sub.3 was 0.05 sccm. The pressure in the reaction chamber was not less than 810.sup.3 Pa and not more than 1210.sup.3 Pa, and the growth temperature was 1580 C.
(44) Subsequently, the CVD device was used to form a drift layer on a main surface of the buffer layer using the same gases and under the same pressure and temperature conditions, with a flow rate of NH.sub.3 of 0.05 sccm. The drift layer had an impurity concentration of 7.010.sup.15 cm.sup.3 and a thickness of 10 m.
(ii) Comparative Example Sample 1
(45) A comparative example sample 1 basically had the same configuration and was prepared under the same conditions as the example sample. The difference was that the source material gas used to form the buffer layer and the drift layer was introduced under conditions such that the C/Si ratio was 2.5.
(iii) Comparative Example Sample 2
(46) A comparative example sample 2 basically had the same configuration and was prepared under the same conditions as the example sample. The difference was that the source material gas used to form the buffer layer and the drift layer was introduced under conditions such that the C/Si ratio was 1.5.
(47) In this manner, three types of silicon carbide semiconductor substrates were prepared using the source material gas having different C/Si ratios.
2. Experiments
(48) The surface morphologies of the three types of silicon carbide semiconductor substrates thus obtained were evaluated with a differential interference microscope. Specifically, the surfaces of the silicon carbide semiconductor substrates were observed with a 10x objective lens and a 10x eyepiece lens.
3. Results
(49) As shown in
(50) Although the embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments and examples described above can be modified in various ways. In addition, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and examples described above. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
(51) The method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate and the method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device of the present invention is applied particularly advantageously to a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate required to include a silicon carbide epitaxial layer doped with a high concentration of nitrogen and to have good morphology, and a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
(52) 1 silicon carbide substrate; 1A, 2A, 3A main surface; 2 buffer layer; 3 drift layer; 10 silicon carbide semiconductor substrate; 11 substrate holder; 12 induction heating coil; 13 quartz tube; 14 heat insulating material; 15 heating element; 16 pipe; 10 CVD device.