Individual Characterization of Fast-Responding Trap States at the NO-Annealed SiO$_2$/4H-SiC Interface

Abstract

Fast-responding trap states introduced by NO-annealing are suspected to limit the channel mobility of 4H-SiC MOSFETs, yet their microscopic characterization remains challenging because conventional electrical methods are spatially averaged and do not readily isolate such fast processes. Here, we visualize and analyze individual fast-responding trap states at the NO-annealed SiO$_2$/4H-SiC interface using the energy dissipation signal in frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM), which selectively probes charge-exchange dynamics on sub-$μ$s time scales. Ring-shaped dissipation patterns were observed in the NO-annealed sample but not in the control sample without NO-annealing, indicating that the detected states are associated with nitridation. Spectroscopic measurements were also performed to determine the dependence of energy dissipation on the tip bias and the tip-sample distance. Combined with finite-element electrostatic calculations, this analysis allowed us to determine trap energies relative to the Fermi level, $E_t - E_f$, and revealed that the trap-energy distribution extends toward the interfacial conduction-band edge. These results provide microscopic evidence that NO-annealing generates fast-responding trap states near the SiO$_2$/4H-SiC interface.