China aluminium oxide ceramics Manufacturers, Suppliers, Factory

The process of monocrystalline silicon growth predominantly occurs within a thermal field, where the quality of the thermal environment significantly impacts crystal quality and growth efficiency. The design of the thermal field plays a pivotal role in shaping temperature gradients and gas flow dynamics within the furnace chamber. Furthermore, the materials used in constructing the thermal field directly influence its lifespan and performance.

In the semiconductor industry, epitaxial layers play a crucial role by forming specific single-crystal thin films atop a wafer substrate, collectively known as epitaxial wafers. Particularly, silicon carbide (SiC) epitaxial layers grown on conductive SiC substrates produce homogenous SiC epitaxial wafers, which are instrumental in the fabrication of power devices such as Schottky diodes, MOSFETs, and IGBTs, with 4H-SiC substrates being the most widely utilized.

A SiC boat, short for silicon carbide boat, is a high-temperature-resistant accessory used in furnace tubes to carry wafers during high-temperature processing. Due to the outstanding properties of silicon carbide such as resistance to high temperatures, chemical corrosion, and excellent thermal stability, SiC boats are extensively utilized in various thermal treatment processes including diffusion, oxidation, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), and annealing.

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.

Graphite is vital in producing Silicon Carbide (SiC) semiconductors, known for their exceptional thermal and electrical properties. This makes SiC ideal for high-power, high-temperature, and high-frequency applications. In SiC semiconductor manufacturing, graphite is commonly used for crucibles, heaters, and other high-temperature processing components due to its excellent thermal conductivity, chemical stability, and resistance to thermal shock.

The three primary methods used in monocrystalline silicon manufacturing are the Czochralski (CZ) method, the Kyropoulos method, and the Float Zone (FZ) method.