INFLUENCE OF PLASMA TREATMENT OF THE SURFACE OF SILICON-CARBIDE ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF BURIED-GATE JUNCTION FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTORS

For SiC buried-gate junction field-effect transistors it is demonstrat ed that the charge state of the channel surface, which functions as a secondary, ''floating'' gate in such transistors, can be stabilized by treating it in a hydrogen plasma at room temperature. It is shown tha t the need for such stabilization is especially crucial for transistor s having a relatively low donor density in the channel (high-voltage t ype), in which the surface charge can strongly modulate the drain volt age under the influence of short-channel effects. (C) 1997 American In stitute of Physics. [S1063-7826(97)03111-6].