Metal-contact enhanced incorporation of deuterium in 4H-and 6H-SiC

Deuterium was introduced in p-type SiC from a gas ambient. The samples were partially coated with 200 Angstrom thick metal layer of titanium, nickel, platinum or gold. Heat treatments were performed in the temperature range 500-800 degreesC during 4 h. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was used to measure the deuterium content after deuterium exposure. The catalytic metal coating is shown to play an important role for introducing deuterium into SiC. Nickel and platinum facilitate hydrogen incorporation in p-type SiC, which may be due to an increased hydrogen concentration at the metal/SiC interface and/or an increase the H+ ions to H ratio. No in-diffusion of deuterium is observed using titanium although large quantities of deuterium are stored in the titanium film. Furthermore, gold reveals an inert character and does not promote in-diffusion of deuterium.