Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Deposition of Silicon Carbide
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Silicon Carbide
Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide‑bandgap (≈2.3–3.3 eV) semiconductor with exceptionally high thermal conductivity, extreme hardness, chemical inertness, and strong radiation tolerance, making it ideal for harsh‑environment and high‑power applications. It is deposited by magnetron sputtering for dense amorphous or nanocrystalline films and by LPCVD (not at DTU Nanolab) or PECVD (not at DTU Nanolab) for conformal, low‑stress coatings, or grown epitaxially by CVD for device‑grade 3C/4H/6H layers on Si or bulk SiC wafers. Within semiconductor process flows, thin‑film SiC acts as a hard mask, diffusion barrier, and robust structural or passivation layer, while epitaxial SiC underpins high‑voltage MOSFETs, Schottky diodes, and MEMS resonators that operate well above 300 °C. Optically, its moderate refractive index (~2.6) and wide transparency window (UV to mid‑IR) enable low‑loss integrated‑photonics waveguides, mid‑IR lenses and windows, and quantum photonic platforms hosting color‑center emitters. Beyond electronics and photonics, SiC’s wear, oxidation, and corrosion resistance support protective coatings, tribological layers, high‑temperature sensors, micro‑heaters, and thermal management substrates—underscoring its versatility wherever a tough, thermally conductive, and chemically stable thin film is required.
Deposition of Silicon Carbide
Silicon Carbide (SiC) can be deposited by RF-sputtering method. So far the process has been tested only using Sputter-System (Lesker) (Src5-RF):