Effects of proton implantation for expansion of basal plane dislocations in SiC toward suppression of bipolar degradation: review and perspective

Silicon carbide (SiC) is widely used in power semiconductor devices; however, basal plane dislocations (BPDs) degrade device performance, through a mechanism called bipolar degradation. Recently, we proposed that proton implantation could suppress BPD expansion by reducing BPD mobility. We considered three potential mechanisms: the hydrogen presence around BPDs, point defects induced by implantation, and carrier lifetime reduction. In this study, we discuss the mechanisms of proton implantation and its applicability to SiC power device production.