Silicon Carbide: Revolutionizing Semiconductor Manufacturing and Device Performance

Silicon carbide, a third-generation semiconductor material and a wide-bandgap semiconductor, 

is poised to transform the landscape of electronic devices and high-frequency applications. 

Differing from silicon primarily in bandgap width, silicon carbide offers remarkable advantages 

that are propelling it into the forefront of technological innovation.

One of the most striking features of silicon carbide is its ability to enable devices 

with equivalent performance to be reduced in size to just one-tenth of traditional silicon-based devices.

 This size reduction results in a remarkable three-quarters reduction in energy loss, 

positioning silicon carbide as an exciting new substrate material for high-voltage and high-frequency device fabrication.

Moreover, silicon carbide wafers exhibit exceptional transparency and robust radiation resistance,

 making them highly versatile in the fields of optoelectronic devices and solar energy applications. 

With its large bandgap, silicon carbide boasts high breakdown voltage and low leakage current, 

offering significant advantages in the production of high-voltage electronic devices. 

Additionally, the wafer's low coefficient of thermal expansion ensures minimal dimensional changes during temperature variations,

 while its excellent thermal shock resistance allows it to withstand rapid temperature fluctuations without fracturing.

The production of single-crystal silicon carbide substrates involves a meticulous process encompassing 

cutting, grinding, and polishing, culminating in the creation of ultra-smooth silicon carbide substrate wafers. 

This polishing process involves both rough and fine polishing, with the latter being the critical final step 

that directly influences the readiness of the substrate for production.

 The goal of fine polishing is to further enhance the surface quality of the silicon carbide substrate, 

yielding wafers with surface roughness typically below 0.2 nm.

Notably, single-crystal silicon carbide possesses an extraordinary Mohs hardness of up to 9.5,

 surpassing even that of alumina abrasive, making the polishing process exceptionally demanding. 

Industry-wide adoption of CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) technology with the products like copper cmp slurry, utilizing alumina polishing slurry 

underscores the complexity and precision involved in the manufacture of silicon carbide substrates.