Improved electrical transport properties in high quality nanocrystalline silicon carbide (nc-SiC) thin films for microelectronic applications

Abstract High quality nanocrystalline silicon carbide (nc-SiC) thin films sputtered deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO 2 /Si substrate were investigated for its crystallinity dependent dielectric properties ( e r -f, e r -E ) and J–E characteristics. The gain in intensity of highly oriented (105) X-ray reflection evident the improvement in crystallinity of nc-SiC thin films with increase in deposition temperature. An observable enhancement in dielectric properties and reduction in leakage current density ( J ) with increase in crystallinity was ascribed to enhanced dipole density and reduced micropipe density respectively. A minimum J ∼10 −9 A/cm 2 at 0 kV/cm was observed with increase in the crystallinity of SiC thin films. The conduction mechanism in all nc-SiC thin films endures a transition from low field dominating ohmic conduction to interface limited Schottky emission prevailing at high field ( E >60 kV/cm).