Abstract: A method of evaluating an insulated-gate semiconductor device having an insulated-gate structure including a channel formation layer made of a wide-bandgap semiconductor and a gate insulating film formed contacting the channel formation layer includes removing the gate insulating film in order to expose a surface of the channel formation layer; taking a phase image of the exposed surface of the channel formation layer using a phase mode of an atomic force microscope; evaluating a surface condition of the exposed surface of the channel formation layer by calculating an evaluation metric from phase shift values in the phase image and by determining whether the evaluation metric satisfies a prescribed condition; and determining that the insulated-gate semiconductor device is acceptable when the evaluation metric satisfied the prescribed condition.

Abstract: A method of evaluating an insulated-gate semiconductor device having an insulated-gate structure including a channel formation layer made of a wide-bandgap semiconductor and a gate insulating film formed contacting the channel formation layer includes removing the gate insulating film in order to expose a surface of the channel formation layer; taking a phase image of the exposed surface of the channel formation layer using a phase mode of an atomic force microscope; evaluating a surface condition of the exposed surface of the channel formation layer by calculating an evaluation metric from phase shift values in the phase image and by determining whether the evaluation metric satisfies a prescribed condition; and determining that the insulated-gate semiconductor device is acceptable when the evaluation metric satisfied the prescribed condition.