Silicon Carbide Wafers and Substrate
licon Carbide (SiC) Wafers and Substrates are high-performance semiconductor materials used to manufacture power electronics, RF devices, and advanced optoelectronic devices.
What is a Silicon Carbide Wafer?
A SiC wafer is a thin slice of single-crystal silicon carbide that serves as the starting material for semiconductor device fabrication.
Main Types of SiC Substrates
| Type | Resistivity | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Conductive N-type SiC | Low | Power MOSFETs, Schottky Diodes, Power Modules |
| Conductive P-type SiC | Low | Specialized device structures |
| Semi-Insulating (SI) SiC | Very High (>10⁵ Ω·cm) | RF Devices, GaN-on-SiC, Microwave Electronics |
Common Polytypes
| Polytype | Usage |
|---|---|
| 4H-SiC | Most common for power electronics |
| 6H-SiC | Legacy power and RF applications |
| 3C-SiC | Research and specialty devices |
Why SiC is Important
Compared with silicon:
| Property | Silicon | SiC |
|---|---|---|
| Bandgap | 1.12 eV | 3.26 eV |
| Breakdown Field | 0.3 MV/cm | 3.0 MV/cm |
| Thermal Conductivity | 150 W/m·K | 490 W/m·K |
| Max Operating Temperature | ~150°C | >600°C |
Benefits:
- Higher voltage operation
- Lower power loss
- Faster switching
- Higher temperature capability
- Smaller device size
Typical Wafer Sizes
- 2 inch (50.8 mm)
- 3 inch (76.2 mm)
- 4 inch (100 mm)
- 6 inch (150 mm)
- 8 inch (200 mm, newest generation)
AMO Scientific offers customized Silicon Carbide (SiC) wafers. If you don't find the standard products work for your need, please feel free to reach us.