China ferro silicon nitride 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.

Currently, many semiconductor devices employ mesa device structures, which are predominantly created through two types of etching: wet etching and dry etching. While the simple and rapid wet etching plays a significant role in semiconductor device fabrication, it has inherent drawbacks such as isotropic etching and poor uniformity, which result in limited control when transferring small-sized patterns. Dry etching, however, with its high anisotropy, good uniformity, and repeatability, has become prominent in semiconductor device fabrication processes. The term “dry etching” broadly refers to any non-wet etching technology used for removing surface materials and transferring micro and nano patterns, including laser etching, plasma etching, and chemical vapor etching. The dry etching discussed in this text specifically pertains to the narrow application of processes using plasma discharge—either physical or chemical—to modify material surfaces.

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.

Silicon material is a solid material with certain semiconductor electrical properties and physical stability, and provides substrate support for the subsequent integrated circuit manufacturing process. It is a key material for silicon-based integrated circuits. More than 95% of semiconductor devices and more than 90% of integrated circuits in the world are made on silicon wafers.

Single crystal silicon and polycrystalline silicon each have their own unique advantages and applicable scenarios. Single crystal silicon is suitable for high-performance electronic products and microelectronics due to its excellent electrical and mechanical properties. Polycrystalline silicon, on the other hand, dominates the field of solar cells due to its low cost and good photoelectric conversion efficiency.