Silicon carbide devices and methods for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a silicon carbide layer, a metal carbide layer arranged over the silicon carbide layer, and a solder layer arranged over and in contact with the metal carbide layer.
1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a silicon carbide layer;
a metal carbide layer arranged over the silicon carbide layer; and
a solder layer arranged over and in contact with the metal carbide layer,
wherein the solder layer comprises a carbide-forming metal corresponding to a metal of the metal carbide layer.
2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a carbon-comprising layer arranged between the silicon carbide layer and the metal carbide layer, wherein the carbon-comprising layer is in contact with the silicon carbide layer and in contact with the metal carbide layer.
3. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein the carbon-comprising layer has a graphite crystal structure or a graphite-like crystal structure.
4. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , further comprising:
an ohmic contact formed between the silicon carbide layer and the carbon-comprising layer.
5. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the metal carbide layer is in contact with the silicon carbide layer.
6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the metal carbide layer comprises titanium carbide, nickel carbide, tungsten carbide, and/or vanadium carbide.
7. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the metal carbide layer is in a range from 50 nanometer to 1 micrometer.
8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an ohmic contact formed between the silicon carbide layer and the metal carbide layer.
9. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a solder contact formed between the solder layer and a metal component that comprises a leadframe, a die pad, a lead, a clip, and/or a metal foil.
10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor device comprises a silicon carbide diode or a silicon carbide transistor.
11. A method, comprising:
forming a carbon-comprising layer on a silicon carbide layer;
forming a solder layer over the carbon-comprising layer, the solder layer comprising a carbide-forming metal; and
forming a metal carbide layer between the carbon-comprising layer and the solder layer, the metal carbide layer being formed from the carbide-forming metal of the solder layer and carbon of the carbon-comprising layer.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
forming a solder contact between the solder layer and a metal component.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the metal carbide layer is at least partly formed by forming the solder contact.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the metal carbide layer is at least partly formed by forming the solder layer on the carbon-comprising layer.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the carbon-comprising layer comprises:
applying a laser process or a micro electrical discharge machining process to the silicon carbide layer.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the carbon-comprising layer comprises:
evaporating silicon atoms from the silicon carbide layer.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the solder layer comprises a rare earth metal before forming the metal carbide layer.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the solder layer comprises residual portions of the carbide-forming metal after forming the metal carbide layer.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the carbon-comprising layer is in a range from 1 nanometer to 10 micrometers before forming the metal carbide layer.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the silicon carbide layer is part of a silicon carbide wafer.