SiC Epitaxial Wafer Silicon Carbide 4H 4inch 6inch High Resistivity Semiconductor Industry

SiC Epitaxial Wafer Silicon Carbide 4H 4inch 6inch High Resistivity Semiconductor Industry

Description of  SiC Epitaxial Wafer:

Silicon carbide epitaxy is a compound semiconductor material composed of carbon and silicon elements (excluding doping factors). Silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxial sheet is an important semiconductor material, widely used in high power, high temperature and high frequency electronic devices. Silicon carbide has a wide band gap (about 3.0 eV), making it excellent at high temperatures and high voltages. Excellent thermal conductivity enables effective heat dissipation and is suitable for high power applications. Common epitaxial growth techniques include chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The thickness of the epitaxial layer usually ranges from a few microns to several hundred microns. Used to manufacture power electronic devices (such as MOSFETs, diodes, etc.), widely used in electric vehicles, renewable energy and power transmission fields. It is also used in high temperature sensors and RF devices. Compared with traditional silicon materials, SiC devices have higher voltage resistance and better efficiency. It can maintain stable performance in high temperature environment. With the growth of electric vehicles and renewable energy markets, the demand for silicon carbide epitaxial sheets continues to rise.

Our company specializes in silicon carbide homogenous epitaxial products grown on silicon carbide substrates, known for their high voltage tolerance, strong current endurance, and high operational stability. These characteristics make it a crucial raw material for manufacturing power devices. Silicon carbide epitaxial wafers serve as the cornerstone for producing power devices and are essential for optimizing device performance.

The Character of SiC Epitaxial Wafer:

A. Crystal Structure

This polytype has a smaller lattice constant, high electron mobility, and saturation electron velocity, making it ideal for high-frequency and high-power devices. The bandgap width of 4H-SiC is approximately 3.26 eV, providing stable electrical performance at high temperatures.

B. Electronic Properties

The bandgap width of silicon carbide determines its stability at high temperatures and under high electric fields. The wide bandgaps of 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC, at 3.26 eV and 3.02 eV respectively, allow them to maintain excellent electrical performance at temperatures reaching several hundred degrees, while traditional silicon (Si) has a bandgap width of only 1.12 eV.
Saturation Electron Velocity: Silicon carbide has a saturation electron velocity close to 2 × 10⁷ cm/s, about twice that of silicon, further enhancing its competitiveness in high-frequency and high-power applications.

C. Thermal Properties

Silicon carbide exhibits excellent thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion, making it perform exceptionally well in high-power and high-temperature environments.
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion: The coefficient of thermal expansion of silicon carbide is around 4.0 × 10⁻⁶ /K, similar to silicon. Its stable high-temperature performance helps reduce mechanical stress during thermal cycling processes.

D. Mechanical Properties

Silicon carbide is known for its hardness, abrasion resistance, excellent chemical stability, and corrosion resistance.
Hardness: Silicon carbide has a Mohs hardness of 9.5, close to that of diamond, providing it with high wear resistance and mechanical strength.
Chemical Stability and Corrosion Resistance: The stability of silicon carbide at high temperatures, pressures, and harsh chemical environments makes it suitable for electronic devices and sensor applications in harsh conditions.

Specifications of SiC Epitaxial Wafer:

Physical Photos of SiC Epitaxial Wafer:

Packaging Pictures of SiC Epitaxial Wafer:

Silicon carbide (SiC) needs epitaxy for the following reasons:

1. Material Characteristics

Silicon carbide power devices differ in manufacturing processes from traditional silicon power devices. They cannot be directly fabricated on single-crystal silicon carbide material. Therefore, high-quality epitaxial layers need to be grown on conductive-type single-crystal substrates, where various devices can be manufactured.

2. Enhancing Material Quality

Silicon carbide substrates may contain defects like grain boundaries, dislocations, impurities, etc., which can significantly impact device performance and reliability. Epitaxial growth helps in forming a new layer of silicon carbide on the substrate with a complete crystal structure and fewer defects, thereby significantly enhancing material quality.

3. Precise Control of Doping and Thickness

Epitaxial growth allows for precise control of the doping type and concentration in the epitaxial layer, as well as the thickness of the epitaxial layer. This is crucial for manufacturing high-performance silicon carbide-based devices, as factors like doping type and concentration, epitaxial layer thickness, etc., directly affect the electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the devices.

4. Control of Material Characteristics

By epitaxially growing SiC on substrates, different crystal orientations of SiC growth can be achieved on various substrate types (such as 4H-SiC, 6H-SiC, etc.), obtaining SiC crystals with specific crystal face directions to meet the material characteristic requirements of different application fields.

5. Cost Efficiency

Silicon carbide growth is slow, with a growth rate of only 2 cm per month, and a furnace can produce around 400-500 pieces per year. Through epitaxial growth on substrates, batch production can be achieved in large-scale production processes, improving production efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs. This method is more suitable for industrial production needs compared to directly cutting SiC blocks.

Applications of SiC Epitaxial Wafer:

Silicon carbide epitaxial wafers have a wide range of applications in power electronic devices, spanning areas such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and industrial power systems.

• Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations: Silicon carbide power devices enhance the efficiency and reliability of electric vehicle power systems, enabling faster charging and longer driving ranges.

• Renewable Energy Generation and Energy Storage Systems: Silicon carbide devices achieve higher power conversion efficiency in solar inverters and wind power systems, reducing energy losses.

• Industrial Power Supplies and Variable Frequency Drives: The high efficiency and reliability of silicon carbide power devices make them widely used in industrial power supplies and variable frequency drives, enhancing equipment performance and energy efficiency.

• UV LEDs and Lasers: Silicon carbide materials can produce efficient ultraviolet light, widely used in disinfection, water purification, and communication fields.

• High-Temperature Optoelectronic Detectors: Silicon carbide optoelectronic detectors maintain high sensitivity and stability in high-temperature environments, suitable for fire detection and high-temperature imaging.

• High-Temperature Pressure Sensors and Gas Sensors: Silicon carbide sensors exhibit excellent performance in high-temperature and high-pressure environments, widely used in industrial control and environmental monitoring.

• Chemical Sensors and Biosensors: The corrosion resistance of silicon carbide materials provides longer lifespan and higher stability in chemical and biosensors.

• High-Temperature Electronic Devices: The excellent performance of silicon carbide devices in high-temperature environments makes them valuable in aerospace and deep well drilling applications.

• Aerospace and Military Applications: The high reliability and environmental resilience of silicon carbide devices make them ideal choices in aerospace and military fields, capable of executing tasks under extreme conditions.

Application Pictures of SiC Epitaxial Wafer:

FAQ:

1. Q:What is SiC epitaxy?
     A:Epitaxial growth is used to produce active layers of silicon carbide (SiC)-based device structures with designed doping density and thickness.

2. Q:How does epitaxy work?
     A: epitaxy, the process of growing a crystal of a particular orientation on top of another crystal, where the orientation is determined by the underlying crystal.

3. Q:What does epitaxy mean?
     A: Epitaxy refers to the deposition of an overlayer on a crystalline substrate, where the overlayer is in registry with the substrate.

Product Recommend:

① Polished 100mm SIC Epitaxial Silicon Carbide Wafer 1mm Thickness For Ingot Growth

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② SiC Substrate 4H/6H-P 3C-N 145.5 Mm~150.0 Mm Z Grade P Grade D Grade

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SiC wafer Customization:

1. We can customize the size of the SiC substrate to meet your specific requirements.

2. The price is determined by the case, and the packaging details can be customized to your preference.

3. Delivery time is within 2-4 weeks. We accept payment through T/T.

4. Our factory has advanced production equipment and technical team, which can customize various specifications, thicknesses and shapes of SiC wafer according to customers' specific requirements.