SBIR Phase I: A Novel Microwave Technique for Rapid Thermal Processing of Silicon Carbide Wide Bandgap Semiconductor

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project involving a novel microwave technique for rapid thermal processing of silicon carbide wide bandgap semiconductors will develop a unique solid state microwave technique that can lower the sheet resistance and surface roughness of SiC semiconductors to unprecedented levels. Taking full advantage of the current state of the art solid state microwave technologies, The company will develop a prototype microwave unit for rapid thermal processing (RTP) of SiC with several innovations: (1) ultra-high heating rate up to 200-900 deg C/sec, (2) ultra-high temperature up to 2000 deg C, (3) easy and reliable process control by electronics and computer, (4) multivariable control for temperature uniformity and reproducibility, and (5) small dimension and convenient to be integrated into production lines. During Phase I, the prototype unit will be modified to meet special requirements for RTP of SiC. Microwave annealing of SiC implanted with donor and acceptor species will be performed at temperatures of 1700-1950 deg C and annealing time from a minute to a few seconds. Afterward, measurements of electrical properties will be conducted to determine feasibility and applicability. In Phase II, this technique will be extended to large size of SiC wafers for commercial applications. Commercially, the proposed technology can be easily deployed in commercial products for rapid thermal processing of SiC, GaN and CMOS. With such unparalleled high heating rate and high heating temperature, the technology can be extended to many other applications such as wafer bonding in IC, MEMS and optoelectronic packaging, as well as rapid thermal fabrication of advanced materials such as nano-materials and function materials.