Properties and Semiconductor Applications of Silicon Carbide Ceramics

Silicon carbide ceramic are the advanced ceramic material that consists primarily of carbon and silicon. Featuring outstanding performance characteristics, silicon carbide ceramic is extensively used in the high-end industries including mechanical machining, semiconductor manufacturing, military industry and aerospace engineering.

Performance characteristics of Silicon Carbide Ceramics

1. Exceptional high hardness and strength

The flexural strength of silicon carbide ceramic typically exceeds 400 MPa and its Vickers hardness ranges from 2200 to 3300 HV, making it well-suited for high-load and high-stress operating conditions.

2. Excellent Elastic Modulus

Silicon carbide ceramic’s elastic modulus is within range of 400–450 GPa, offering exceptional structural rigidity and minimal deformation under heavy-loading conditions.

3. Superior thermal Stability

Silicon carbide ceramic exhibits less strength deterioration than conventional metals and ceramics in 1400°C inert or reducing environments, which features superior performance against deformation and creep failure under high-temperature and high-load situations.

4. Outstanding Chemical Corrosion Resistance

Silicon carbide ceramics possess outstanding corrosion resistance against most strong acids, strong alkalis, molten salts and various corrosive gases. Even when it is exposed to corrosive operating conditions, the structural integrity of silicon carbide ceramic components is hardly damaged by chemical corrosion.

Applications of Silicon Carbide Ceramic in the Semiconductor Industry

1. Etching Equipment

CVD SiC components like focus rings, gas showerheads, wafer susceptors , edge rings exhibit favorable electrical conductivity, making them perform excellently in highly corrosive and high-energy plasma environments in plasma etching equipment.

2. Lithography Equipment

Lithography processes demand nanoscale alignment accuracy, and the components used in lithography system are required to operate under conditions of high-frequency reciprocating motion and micrometer-level precision control. With low thermal expansion, high thermal conductivity and superior stiffness, silicon carbide ceramic parts such as wafer stages and optical mirrors can preserve structural integrity and minimize thermal distortion in severe lithography environments, which effectively guarantees stable system performance and high lithography precision.

3. Epitaxial Growth Equipment (MOCVD)

Wafer carriers coated with uniform and dense CVD SiC coatings exhibit stable and reliable performance. They can effectively suppress material sublimation and particle contamination, making them an indispensable ideal option for high-temperature and highly corrosive applications in epitaxial equipment.