SBIR Phase II: Large Area Platform Technology for Small Diameter Silicon Carbide

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will optimize the key technologies for deployment of high-temperature pressure sensors from proven silicon carbide (SiC) sensor dies for harsh environment applications within aerospace and automotive markets. These include wafer bonding and planarization, electrical characterization, selection of integrated electronics manufacturing methods, and temperature compensation algorithms. The Discrete Wafer Array Process (DWAP) technique will be further developed to demonstrate fabrication of SiC pressure sensors. Prototype platforms for demonstration of low-cost and high volume manufacturability of single crystal SiC devices in conventional foundries will be provided and the semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) technology provided by the DWAP concept will be leveraged to demonstrate superior device performance. This work will focus on developing and optimizing the necessary technical foundation of SiC sensor dies through electrical characterization and interface electronic development, and fabrication of SiC pressure sensor dies on 4-inch platform for testing by GE and Ford. The increasing demand for miniaturization presents unique growth opportunities in the MEMS Market, which is estimated at $7Billion. Combined skills in MEMS manufacturing processes, electronics system design, algorithm development, and market access are required for success. The harsh environment market segment, estimated at $4.5Billion by 2005 is poised to be a major beneficiary of the technical and cost saving superiority of Silicon Carbide (SiC) over Silicon (Si) as the primary semi-conducting material. The pressure sensor sector of the market segment will grow from $3.5Billion by 2005 to $9.06Billion, with a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 16.5%.