China aln thermal conductivity Manufacturers, Suppliers, Factory

Silicon carbide (SiC) has important applications in areas such as power electronics, high-frequency RF devices, and sensors for high-temperature-resistant environments due to its excellent physicochemical properties. However, the slicing operation during SiC wafer processing introduces damages on the surface, which, if left untreated, can expand during the subsequent epitaxial growth process and form epitaxial defects, thus affecting the yield of the device.

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a material that possesses exceptional thermal, physical and chemical stability, exhibiting properties that go beyond those of conventional materials. Its thermal conductivity is an astonishing 84W/(m·K), which is not only higher than copper but also three times that of silicon. This demonstrates its enormous potential for use in thermal management applications.

The growth of GaN epitaxy on GaN substrate presents a unique challenge, despite the material’s superior properties when compared to silicon. GaN epitaxy offers significant advantages in terms of band gap width, thermal conductivity, and breakdown electric field over silicon-based materials. This makes the adoption of GaN as the backbone for the third generation of semiconductors, which provide enhanced cooling, lower conduction loss, and improved performance under high temperatures and frequencies, a promising and crucial advancement for the photonic and micro-electronic industries.

Within the silicon carbide (SiC) industry chain, substrate suppliers hold significant leverage, primarily due to value distribution. SiC substrates account for 47% of the total value, followed by epitaxial layers at 23%, while device design and manufacturing constitute the remaining 30%. This inverted value chain stems from the high technological barriers inherent to substrate and epitaxial layer production. Three major challenges plague SiC substrate growth: stringent growth conditions, slow growth rates, and demanding crystallographic requirements. These complexities contribute to increased processing difficulty, ultimately resulting in low product yields and high costs. Furthermore, the epitaxial layer’s thickness and doping concentration are critical parameters directly impacting the final device performance.

Oxidation processes play a critical role in preventing such problems by creating a protective layer on the wafer, known as the oxide layer, which acts as a barrier between different chemicals.