IP Library Granted Patent US 12,513,960
Granted Patent B2
US 12,513,960 · App. 18/896,610 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Method for the production of improved SiC-substrates and SiC-epilayers

Inventors: Yulieth Cristina Arango (Zürich, CH); Giovanni Alfieri (Möriken, CH); Gianpaolo Romano (Baden, CH)
Assignee: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
H10D62/8325H01L21/02378H01L21/02447H01L21/02529
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,513,960
App. No.
18/896,610
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate, at least comprising the steps of: a) providing the SiC-substrate, wherein the SiC-substrate is suitable for growing a SiC-epilayer thereon; and b) implanting group Va elements in the SiC-substrate by irradiating at least a part of the SiC-substrate with group Va ions, wherein the irradiation is performed at an energy of greater than or equal to 100 keV and less than or equal to 200 keV and an irradiation dose of greater than or equal to 10 5 cm −2 and less than or equal to 10 10 cm −2 . Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a Silicon Carbide epilayer, a SiC substrate and a semiconductor device.

Claims (15)

1 . A method for manufacturing a Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate, the method comprising:

a) providing the SiC-substrate, wherein the SiC-substrate is suitable for growing a SiC-epilayer thereon; and

b) implanting group Va elements in the SiC-substrate by irradiating at least a part of the SiC-substrate with group Va ions, wherein the irradiation is performed at an energy of greater than or equal to 100 keV and less than or equal to 200 keV and an irradiation dose of greater than or equal to 10 5 cm −2 and less than or equal to 10 10 cm −2 , wherein the resistivity of the SiC-substrate after step b) is altered to less than 10% compared to the resistivity of the SiC-substrate in step a).

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in an additional method step b′) the SiC-substrate obtained in method step b) is heat treated at temperature of greater than or equal to 1000° C. and less than or equal to 1700° C. for a time-period of greater than or equal to 5 h and less than or equal to 24 h.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in step b) carbon vacancies (VC) are generated in the substrate, the VC are able to trap transition metals by forming transition metal VC (TM-VC) complexes, and wherein the VC concentration in the substrate is greater than or equal to 10 13 cm −3 and less than or equal to 10 17 cm −3 .

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the group Va ions are selected from a group consisting of nitrogen-ions, phosphor-ions or mixtures thereof.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the implantation density of the group Va ions in the SiC-substrate is greater than or equal to 10 10 cm −3 and less than or equal to 10 16 cm −3 .

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the SiC-substrate in method step a) and method step b) comprises n-type conductivity.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein step b) is performed at a temperature of greater than or equal to 20° C. and less than or equal to 800° C.

8 . A method for manufacturing a Silicon Carbide (SiC) epilayer on a SiC substrate, the method comprising:

a) providing the SiC-substrate, wherein the SiC-substrate is suitable for growing a SiC-epilayer thereon;

b) implanting group Va elements in the SiC-substrate by irradiating at least a part of the SiC-substrate with group Va ions, wherein the irradiation is performed at an energy of greater than or equal to 100 keV and less than or equal to 200 keV and an irradiation dose of greater than or equal to 10 5 cm −2 and less than or equal to 10 10 cm −2 , wherein the resistivity of the SiC-substrate after step b) is altered to less than 10% compared to the resistivity of the SiC-substrate in step a); and

c) epitaxially growing a SiC-epilayer on top of the SiC-substrate obtained in method step b), wherein the growing is performed at a temperature of greater than or equal to 1200° C. and less than or equal to 1500° C.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein after the method step b) and prior to the method step e) the SiC-substrate is heat treated at temperature of greater than or equal to 1000° C. and less than or equal to 1900° C. for a time-period of greater than or equal to 0.5 h and less than or equal to 24 h.

10 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the thickness of the SiC-epilayer is greater than or equal to 50 μm and less than or equal to 250 μm.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2024
From: ARANGO, YULIETH CRISTINA; ALFIERI, GIOVANNI; ROMANO, GIANPAOLO
To: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
Reel/Frame 068705/0359 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 26, 2024
From: HITACHI ENERGY SWITZERLAND AG
To: HITACHI ENERGY LTD
Reel/Frame 068705/0471 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 23200325 · Sep 28, 2023 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250113571A1 · Apr 3, 2025
References Cited (25)
US 9508802B2 · Danno et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20150064882A1 · Danno · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150263086A1 · Mizukami et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20210225645A1 · Gendron-Hansen · 2021 [cited by examiner]
EP 4089719A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
EP 4095888A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009111007A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012243812A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2015176995A · 2015 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020113619A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022048926A · 2022 [cited by applicant]
JP 2024060938A · 2024 [cited by applicant]
Saks, Low-dose nitrogen implants in 6H-silicon carbide, 2000, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 76, No. 14, 1896-1897 (Year: 2000). [cited by examiner]
Eddin & Pizzagalli, “First principles calculation of noble gas atoms properties in 3C—SiC”, Journal of Nuclear Materials, Elsevier, 2012, 429 (1-3), pp. 329. 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2012.06.022. hal-00728924, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Heidorn et al., “Basal Plane Dislocation Conversion Enhancement in 4H—SiC Homo-Epitaxial Layers by Ion Implantation into the Wafer”, Materials Science Forum, ISSN: 1662-9752, vol. 963, pp. 114-118, doi:10.4028/www.scien… [cited by applicant]
Hemmingsson et al., “Deep level defects in electron-irradiated 4H SiC epitaxial layers”, J. Appl. Phys. 81 (9), May 1, 1997, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Kalinina et al., “Gettering Effect with AI Implanted into 4H—SiC CVD Epitaxial Layers”, Materials Science Forum vols. 433-436 (2003) pp. 637-640, (2003) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland, doi:10.4028/www.scientific.n… [cited by applicant]
Danno et al., “Diffusion of Transition Metals in 4H—SiC and Trials of Impurity Gettering”, Applied Physics Express 5 (2012) 031301, DOI: 10.1143/APEX.5.031301, downloaded on May 17, 2017, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Danno et al., “Diffusion and gettering of transition metals in 4H—SiC”, Materials Science Forum vols. 717-720 (2012) pp. 225-228, (2012) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]
Bathen et al,, “Anisotropic and plane-selective migration of the carbon vacancy in SiC: Theory and experiment”, Jul. 8, 2019, Phys. Rev. B 100, 014103, 15 pages. [cited by applicant]
Achtziger et al., “Band gap states of Ti, V, and Cr in 4H-silicon carbide”, Applied Physics Letters 71, 110 (1997); doi: 10.1063/1.119485, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Ivady et al., “Asymmetric Split-Vacancy Defects in SiC Polytypes: A Combined Theoretical and Electron Spin Resonance Study”, PRL 107, 195501 (2011), week ending Nov. 4, 2011, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report issued in related european patent application No. EP 23200325.1, dates Mar. 5, 2024, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
Hiroyuki Matsunami, “Technology of Semiconductor SiC and Its Application”, 2003, Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Ltd., ISBN-4-526-05096-2, 8 pages, Cited in Decision for Rejection issued in corresponding Japanese Patent Applicati… [cited by applicant]
Decision for Rejection issued in corresponding Japanese Patent Application JP2024-090643, mailed Apr. 8, 2025, 5 pages. [cited by applicant]