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Solid Silicon Carbide SiC is an advanced ceramic material composed of silicon (Si) and carbon (C). It is not a substance widely found in nature and usually requires high-temperature synthesis. Its unique combination of physical and chemical properties makes it a key material that performs well in extreme environments, especially in semiconductor manufacturing.

Ⅰ. Key physical properties of solid silicon carbide (Solid SiC)

▶ High hardness and wear resistance:

SiC has a Mohs hardness of about 9-9.5, second only to diamond. This gives it excellent scratch and wear resistance, and it performs well in environments that need to withstand mechanical stress or particle erosion.

▶ Excellent High-Temperature Strength and Stability

1. SiC can maintain its mechanical strength and structural integrity at extremely high temperatures (operating at temperatures up to 1600°C or even higher, depending on type and purity).

2. Its low coefficient of thermal expansion means that it has good dimensional stability and is not prone to deformation or cracking when the temperature changes drastically.

▶ High Thermal Conductivity:

Unlike many other ceramic materials, SiC has a relatively high thermal conductivity. This allows it to conduct and dissipate heat efficiently, which is critical for applications that require precise temperature control and uniformity.

Superior Chemical Inertness and Corrosion Resistance:

SiC exhibits extremely strong resistance to most strong acids, strong bases, and corrosive gases commonly used in semiconductor processes (such as fluorine-based and chlorine-based gases in plasma environments), even at high temperatures. This is critical to preventing process chamber components from being corroded or contaminated.

▶ Potential for High Purity:

Extremely high purity SiC coatings or solid SiC parts can be produced through specific manufacturing processes (such as chemical vapor deposition - CVD). In semiconductor manufacturing, material purity directly affects the contamination level of the wafer and the yield of the final product.

▶ High Stiffness (Young's Modulus):

SiC has a high Young's modulus, which means it is very hard and not easy to deform under load. This is very important for components that need to maintain precise shape and size (such as wafer carriers).

▶ Tunable Electrical Properties:

Although it is often used as an insulator or semiconductor (depending on its crystal form and doping), its high resistivity helps manage plasma behavior or prevent unnecessary arc discharge in some component applications.

Ⅱ. Specific Applications and Advantages of Solid Silicon Carbide (Solid SiC) Finished Products in Semiconductor Manufacturing

Based on the above physical properties, solid SiC is manufactured into various precision components and is widely used in multiple key links of semiconductor front-end processes.

1) Solid SiC Wafer Carrier (Solid SiC Wafer Carrier / Boat):

Application:

Used to carry and transfer silicon wafers in high-temperature processes (such as diffusion, oxidation, LPCVD - low-pressure chemical vapor deposition).

Advantages Analysis:

1. High temperature stability: At process temperatures exceeding 1000°C, SiC carriers will not soften, deform or sag as easily as quartz, and can accurately maintain wafer spacing to ensure process uniformity.

2. Long life and low particle generation: SiC's hardness and wear resistance far exceed quartz, and it is not easy to produce tiny particles to contaminate wafers. Its service life is usually several times or even dozens of times that of quartz carriers, reducing replacement frequency and maintenance costs.

3. Chemical inertness: It can resist chemical erosion in the process atmosphere and reduce the contamination of the wafer caused by the precipitation of its own materials.

4. Thermal conductivity: Good thermal conductivity helps to achieve rapid and uniform heating and cooling of carriers and wafers, improving process efficiency and temperature uniformity.

5. High purity: High-purity SiC carriers can be manufactured to meet the strict requirements of advanced nodes for impurity control.

User value:

Improve process stability, increase product yield, reduce downtime caused by component failure or contamination, and reduce the overall cost of ownership in the long run.

2) Solid SiC Disc-shaped / Gas Shower Head:

Application:

Installed on the top of the reaction chamber of equipment such as plasma etching, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc., responsible for evenly distributing process gases to the wafer surface below.

Advantage analysis:

1. Plasma tolerance: In a high-energy, chemically active plasma environment, the SiC shower head exhibits extremely strong resistance to plasma bombardment and chemical corrosion, which is far superior to quartz or alumina.

2. Uniformity and stability: The precision-machined SiC shower head can ensure that the gas flow is evenly distributed across the entire wafer surface, which is critical for the uniformity of film thickness, composition uniformity, or etching rate. It has good long-term stability and is not easy to deform or clog.

3. Thermal management: Good thermal conductivity helps maintain temperature uniformity on the showerhead surface, which is critical for many heat-sensitive deposition or etching processes.

4. Low contamination: High purity and chemical inertness reduce the contamination of the showerhead's own materials to the process.

User value:

Significantly improve the uniformity and repeatability of process results, extend the service life of the showerhead, reduce maintenance times and particle problems, and support more advanced and more stringent process conditions.

3) Solid SiC Etching Focusing Ring (Solid SiC Etching Focusing Ring / Edge Ring):

Application:

Mainly used in the chamber of plasma etching equipment (such as capacitively coupled plasma CCP or inductively coupled plasma ICP etcher), usually placed on the edge of the wafer carrier (Chuck), surrounding the wafer. Its function is to constrain and guide the plasma so that it acts more evenly on the wafer surface while protecting other components of the chamber.

Advantage analysis:

1. Strong resistance to plasma erosion: This is the most prominent advantage of the SiC focusing ring. In extremely aggressive etching plasmas (such as fluorine- or chlorine-containing chemicals), SiC wears much slower than quartz, alumina, or even Yttria (yttrium oxide), and has an extremely long life.

2. Maintaining critical dimensions: High hardness and high rigidity allow SiC focusing rings to better maintain their precise shape and size over long periods of use, which is critical for stabilizing plasma morphology and ensuring etching uniformity.

3. Low particle generation: Due to its wear resistance, it greatly reduces particles generated by component aging, thereby improving yield.

4. High purity: Avoid the introduction of metal or other impurities.

User value:

Greatly extend component replacement cycles, significantly reduce maintenance costs and equipment downtime; improve the stability and repeatability of etching processes; reduce defects and improve the yield of high-end chip manufacturing.

Ⅲ . Summary

Solid silicon carbide has become one of the indispensable key materials in modern semiconductor manufacturing due to its unique combination of physical properties - high hardness, high melting point, high thermal conductivity, excellent chemical stability and corrosion resistance. Whether it is a carrier for carrying wafers, a shower head for controlling gas distribution, or a focusing ring for guiding plasma, solid SiC products help chip manufacturers cope with increasingly stringent process challenges with their excellent performance and reliability, improve production efficiency and product yield, and thus promote the sustainable development of the entire semiconductor industry.

As a leading manufacturer and supplier of solid silicon carbide products in China, Veteksemicon's products such as Solid SiC Wafer Carrier / Boat, Solid SiC Disc-shaped / Gas Shower Head, Solid SiC Etching Focusing Ring / Edge Ring are widely sold in Europe and the United States, and have won high praise and recognition from these customers. We sincerely look forward to becoming your long-term partner in China. Welcome to consult.

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Email: anny@veteksemi.com