N-VSi-related center in non-irradiated 6H SiC nanostructure

TL;DR

This study identifies vacancy-related centers, including N-VSi defects, in non-irradiated 6H-SiC nanostructures using ESR and ED ESR techniques, revealing their magnetic properties and hyperfine interactions.

Contribution

First identification of vacancy-related centers in non-irradiated 6H-SiC nanostructures using combined ESR and ED ESR methods.

Findings

Identification of silicon vacancy centers and N-VSi defect triplet centers.

Observation of hyperfine interactions with 14N nucleus.

Characterization of the triplet center’s spin and anisotropic g-factor.

Abstract

We present the first findings of the vacancy-related centers identified by the electron spin resonance (ESR) and electrically-detected (ED) ESR method in the non-irradiated 6H-SiC nanostructure. This planar 6H-SiC nanostructure represents the ultra-narrow p-type quantum well confined by the {\delta}-barriers heavily doped with boron on the surface of the n-type 6H-SiC (0001) wafer. The EDESR method by measuring the only magnetoresistance of the 6H SiC nanostructure under the high frequency generation from the {\delta}-barriers appears to allow the identification of the silicon vacancy centers as well as the triplet center with spin state S=1. The same triplet center that is characterized by the larger value of the zero-field splitting constant D and anisotropic g-factor is revealed by the ESR (X-band) method. The hyperfine (hf) lines in the ESR and EDESR spectra originating from the hf interaction with the 14N nucleus allow us to attribute this triplet center to the N-VSi defect.