Present status and prospects of large diameter SiC single crystal substrates

Abstract

Solving the global warming problem is a great challenge before us, and energy conservation with more efficient use of electricity is the definite way to mitigate the problem since it is the most widely used energy source at home and in the industry. Hence, power electronics is now expected to play a vital role in the global energy conservation scenario. Present-day Si power electronics, however, suffer from the performance limitations due to their material properties. Wide band gap semiconductor silicon carbide (SiC) is a possible solution to this problem and has attracted considerable attention in recent years. This paper reviews the present status and future prospects of the SiC single crystal substrate manufacturing technology. Recent developments of the technology include the attainment of crystal diameters up to 100 mm and the significant reduction in densities of crystallographic defects. Owing to the availability of large high-quality substrates, SiC power devices have begun to show performance levels that largely exceed those produced from Si.