SiC Manufacturing Techniques

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a compound of silicon and carbon, and it is a wide-bandgap semiconductor
material with excellent mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Due to its unique properties,
SiC has become increasingly important in a variety of applications, including power electronics,
optoelectronics, and high-temperature sensors. SiC is also a promising material for use in the
semiconductor industry due to its high critical breakdown field, high electron mobility, and high
thermal conductivity. In this article, we will discuss the various SiC manufacturing techniques.

There are two main types of SiC manufacturing techniques: the sublimation technique and the
chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. Both techniques have advantages and disadvantages,
and they are used depending on the desired application and required SiC properties.

Sublimation Technique

The sublimation technique is a process of growing single-crystal SiC by sublimating SiC powder in a
vacuum or inert gas atmosphere. The sublimation technique is also known as the modified Lely
process, which is named after the Dutch scientist Jan Anthony Lely, who developed this technique in
the 1950s.

The sublimation technique involves the following steps:

Preparation of the SiC powder: The SiC powder is prepared by mixing high-purity silicon powder
and carbon powder in a stoichiometric ratio. The mixture is then heated in a graphite crucible under
an inert gas atmosphere, such as argon or helium.

Sublimation of the SiC powder: The SiC powder is then sublimated by heating the crucible to a high
temperature (around 2000°C) in a vacuum or inert gas atmosphere. The SiC vapor condenses on a
seed crystal, which is mounted at the top of the crucible.

Growth of the SiC crystal: The SiC crystal grows on the seed crystal by a process called epitaxy. The
crystal grows in the direction of the seed crystal's lattice structure, resulting in a single-crystal SiC
ingot.

The sublimation technique has several advantages, including the ability to grow large-diameter SiC
wafers and high-quality single-crystal SiC with low defect density. However, the sublimation
technique is also expensive and time-consuming. Additionally, the growth rate of the SiC crystal is
relatively slow, which limits its industrial application.
Chemical Vapor Deposition Technique

The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique is a process of growing SiC by chemical reaction
between a gas-phase precursor and a substrate. The CVD technique is the most widely used
technique for growing SiC for electronic device applications.

The CVD technique involves the following steps:

Preparation of the gas-phase precursor: The gas-phase precursor is prepared by mixing a carbon-
containing gas, such as methane or ethylene, and a silicon-containing gas, such as silane or
dichlorosilane. The precursor gases are then introduced into a reaction chamber.

Deposition of SiC on the substrate: The precursor gases react on the surface of the substrate,
which is heated to a high temperature (around 1200°C) to initiate the chemical reaction. The SiC is
deposited on the substrate in a controlled manner, resulting in a SiC film.

The CVD technique has several advantages, including the ability to control the SiC film's thickness
and composition, the ability to grow SiC on various substrate materials, and the ability to produce SiC
films with high quality and reproducibility. Additionally, the CVD technique is relatively inexpensive
and can be performed at a relatively high growth rate, making it suitable for industrial applications.