Monte Carlo simulation of electron transport in 2H-SiC using a three valley analytical conduction band model

A Monte Carlo study of the electron transport in 2H-SiC is presented. The study is based on a three valley analytical band model that has been derived from an ab initio band structure calculation. The scattering models have been extrapolated from recent Monte Carlo simulations of 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC. The low field mobility in the c-axis direction is higher than in 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC, while the mobility perpendicular to the c axis is similar. The saturation velocity at 300 K obtained from the Monte Carlo simulation is 2.3 x 10(7) cm/s for field applied in the c-axis direction and 1.9 x 10(7) cm/s for field applied perpendicular to the c-axis direction. The difference in mean energy as a function of electric field between 2H-SiC and 4H-SiC or 6H-SiC is large. The energy spectrum along the c axis in 2H-SiC is not discontinuous as in the case of 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC, which gives 2H-SiC a higher mean energy for electric fields applied in the c-axis direction. This indicates that the electron impact ionization coefficients should be higher for 2H-SiC. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)09522-5].