SiC 소재는 Si 대비 자연적 결함에 민감해 전기적 성능과 전력 효율, 신뢰성, 수율이 저하될 수 있다. 따라서 웨이퍼 양산 최적화와 결정격자 손상 최소화가 어렵다. 이에 어플라이드 머티어리얼즈는 SiC 반도체 제조사가 150mm에서 200mm 웨이퍼 생산 체계로 전환할 수 있도록 지원하는 장비 2종을 공개했다.
Applied, for SiC semiconductor manufacturers
CMP system and hot ion implant system
Open and support SiC 200mm wafer production SiC materials are sensitive to natural defects compared to Si, which can deteriorate electrical performance, power efficiency, reliability, and yield. Therefore, it is difficult to optimize wafer mass production and minimize crystal lattice damage. On the 14th, Applied Materials unveiled two types of equipment to support SiC semiconductor manufacturers to transition from 150mm to 200mm wafer production systems.
▲ Mira Durum CMP System [Photo = Applied Materials]
The surface quality of SiC wafers is very important for the fabrication of SiC devices because wafer surface defects are transmitted through subsequent layers. To produce uniform wafers with the best surface quality, Applied has developed the Mirra Durum chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system that integrates polishing, material removal measurement, cleaning, and drying into a single system.
The system reduced the finished wafer surface roughness to 1/50th compared to machine-polished SiC wafers and to 1/3rd compared to batch CMP process systems.
▲ Vista 900 3D Hot Ion Implant System
[Photo = Applied Materials]
SiC semiconductors are made by injecting ions into the material during the production process to generate high power. This is to activate the flow of current. However, SiC materials have high density and hardness, making it very difficult to minimize damage to the crystal lattice, inject and arrange impurities, and activate them. If the crystal lattice is damaged, performance and power efficiency are degraded.
Applied has addressed this with its VIISta 900 3D hot ion implant system for 150mm and 200mm wafers. The new technology implants ions with minimal damage to the lattice structure, reducing resistance by 40 times compared to room-temperature implant.
Meanwhile, Applied’s ICAPS division is developing additional products for physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etching, and process control for SiC semiconductor manufacturers in IoT, communications, automotive, power, and sensor sectors. ICAPS also offers packaging master classes.
