IP Library › Patent Application 17148864
Patent Application
App. No. 17/148,864

WAFER, EPITAXIAL WAFER, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A WAFER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN EPITAXIAL WAFER

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Patent No.
US None
App. No.
17/148,864
Abstract

An epitaxial wafer including a wafer having one surface and an other surface, and an epitaxial layer formed on the one surface of the wafer, wherein a roughness skewness (Rsk) of the one surface is −3 nm to 3 nm, and a roughness average (Ra) of an edge area of the one surface is different from that of a central area of the one surface by −2 nm to 2 nm when the edge area of the one surface is defined as an area between 13.3% and 32.1% of the radius of the wafer in a direction from the edge of the one surface toward the center thereof and the central area of the one surface is defined as an area at 9.4% of the radius of the wafer from the center of the one surface.

Claims (84)

1 . An epitaxial wafer comprising:

a wafer comprising one surface and an other surface; and

an epitaxial layer formed on the one surface of the wafer,

wherein a roughness skewness (Rsk) of the one surface is −3 nm to 3 nm, and a roughness average (Ra) of an edge area of the one surface is different from that of a central area of the one surface by −2 nm to 2 nm when the edge area of the one surface is defined as an area between 13.3% and 32.1% of the radius of the wafer in a direction from the edge of the one surface toward the center thereof and the central area of the one surface is defined as an area at 9.4% of the radius of the wafer from the center of the one surface.

2 . The epitaxial wafer according to claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial wafer has a Tu of 5% or less, the Tu being defined by Equation 1:

T

⁢

u

=

(

T

⁢

max

-

T

⁢

min

)

T

⁢

a

⁢

v

⁢

g

×

1

⁢

0

⁢

0

(

1

)

where Tu, Tmax, Tmin, and Tavg are the thickness non-uniformity, maximum thickness, minimum thickness, and average thickness of the epitaxial layer, respectively.

3 . The epitaxial wafer according to claim 1 , wherein the one surface is a Si plane where a silicon atomic layer is formed.

4 . The epitaxial wafer according to claim 1 , wherein the Ra of the central area of the one surface is 4 nm or less.

5 . The epitaxial wafer according to claim 1 , wherein the Ra of the edge area of the one surface is 5 nm or less.

6 . The epitaxial wafer according to claim 1 , wherein the Rsk of the one surface is −2 nm to 2 nm.

7 . The epitaxial wafer according to claim 1 , wherein the wafer is a 4H silicon carbide wafer of 4 inches or more.

8 . A wafer comprising:

one surface and an other surface,

wherein a roughness skewness (Rsk) of the one surface is −3 nm to 3 nm and a roughness average (Ra) of an edge area of the one surface is different from that of a central area of the one surface by −2 nm to 2 nm when the edge area of the one surface is defined as an area between 13.3% and 32.1% of the radius of the wafer in a direction from the edge of the one surface toward the center thereof and the central area of the one surface is defined as an area at 9.4% of the radius of the wafer from the center of the one surface.

9 . The wafer according to claim 8 , wherein the one surface is a Si plane where a silicon atomic layer is formed.

10 . The wafer according to claim 8 , wherein the Ra of the central area of the one surface is 4 nm or less and the Ra of the edge area of the one surface is 5 nm or less.

11 . The wafer according to claim 8 , wherein the Rsk of the one surface is −2 nm to 2 nm.

12 . A method for manufacturing an epitaxial wafer, comprising:

arranging a raw material and a silicon carbide seed crystal to face each other in a reactor having an internal space;

controlling the internal space to a predetermined temperature, pressure, and atmosphere to sublimate the raw material and grow a silicon carbide ingot from the seed crystal, wherein a heat insulating material surrounds the outer surface of the reactor, a heater controls the temperature of the reactor or the internal space, and the density of the heat insulating material is 0.13 g/cc to 0.28 g/cc;

cooling the reactor and recovering the silicon carbide ingot;

cutting the recovered silicon carbide ingot into a wafer;

planarizing the wafer and polishing the surface of the planarized wafer comprising bringing a plurality of grinding wheels having different surface particle sizes into contact with the wafer, resulting in the roughness skewness (Rsk) of one surface of the wafer being −3 nm to 3 nm, and the roughness average (Ra) of an edge area of the one surface being different from that of a central area of the one surface by −2 nm to 2 nm when the edge area of the one surface is defined as an area between 13.3% and 32.1% of the radius of the wafer in a direction from the edge of the one surface toward the center thereof and the central area of the one surface is defined as an area at 9.4% of the radius of the wafer from the center of the one surface; and

injecting raw material gases for epitaxial growth into a growth container in which the wafer is arranged, and growing an epitaxial layer on the one surface of the wafer by chemical vapor deposition.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the epitaxial wafer has a Tu of 5% or less, the Tu being defined by Equation 1:

T

⁢

u

=

(

T

⁢

max

-

T

⁢

min

)

T

⁢

a

⁢

v

⁢

g

×

1

⁢

0

⁢

0

(

1

)

where Tu, Tmax, Tmin, and Tavg are the thickness non-uniformity, maximum thickness, minimum thickness, and average thickness of the epitaxial layer, respectively.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS FOR ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 058645 FRAME: 0149. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS.. Recorded Apr 10, 2022
From: SENIC INC.
To: SENIC INC.
Reel/Frame 059852/0027 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jan 5, 2022
From: SENIC INC.
To: SENIC INC.
Reel/Frame 058645/0149 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2021
From: SKC CO., LTD.
To: SENIC INC.
Reel/Frame 057788/0414 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2021
From: PARK, JONG HWI; KO, SANG KI; KU, KAP-RYEOL; KIM, JUNG-GYU; YANG, EUN SU; LEE, YEON SIK
To: SKC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054919/0828 →