IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,283,351
Granted Patent B2
US 10,283,351 · App. 15/006,423 · Granted May 7, 2019

Single-crystal silicon carbide substrate, method for producing single-crystal silicon carbide substrate, and method for inspecting single-crystal silicon carbide substrate

Inventors: Taisuke Hirooka (Tokyo, JP); Hiroyuki Okuda (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
H01L21/02236C30B29/36G01N23/2251H01L21/02008H01L21/02013H01L21/02019H01L21/02024H01L22/12H01L22/20G01N2223/418G01N2223/634H01L29/1608
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,283,351
App. No.
15/006,423
Granted
May 7, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A single-crystal silicon carbide substrate has a main surface having a surface roughness fulfilling Ra≤1 nm, and has a ratio of hidden scratches of less than 50%, where, in the case where the main surface is arbitrary observed at 50 or more observation points with a field of view having a diameter of 100 μm, the ratio of hidden scratches is defined by a value obtained by dividing the number of the observation points at which a striped hidden scratch having a length of at least 50 μm by the total number of the observation points.

Claims (8)

1. A single-crystal silicon carbide substrate, having a main surface having a surface roughness of Ra≤1 nm, and having a ratio of hidden scratches of more than 0% and less than 50%, wherein in the case where the main surface is arbitrary observed at 50 or more observation points with a field of view having a diameter of 100 μm, the ratio of hidden scratches is defined by a value obtained by dividing the number of the observation points at which a striped hidden scratch having a length of at least 50 μm by the total number of the observation points, wherein the single-crystal silicon carbide substrate has an equipotential surface of the main surface, the equipotential surface having convexed or concaved portions at the hidden scratches.

2. The single-crystal silicon carbide substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the observation of the main surface is performed based on capture images of the main surface of the single-crystal silicon carbide substrate by a mirror electron microscope.

3. The single-crystal silicon carbide substrate according to claim 2 , wherein in the case where the main surface of the single-crystal silicon carbide substrate is irradiated with an electron beam at an accelerated voltage of 5 keV or less in order to capture the image of the main surface by the mirror electron microscope, the main surface is not charged up.

4. The single-crystal silicon carbide substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of hidden scratches is determined based on observation of a main surface of a single-crystal silicon carbide substrate by a mirror electron microscope with an electron beam or an electron beam and an ultraviolet ray.

5. The single-crystal silicon carbide substrate according to claim 4 , wherein the ultraviolet ray has an energy larger than, or equal to, a bandgap of a material forming the single-crystal silicon carbide substrate to be inspected.

6. The single-crystal silicon carbide substrate according to claim 4 , wherein the main surface of the single-crystal silicon carbide substrate has a surface roughness of 0.2 nm or less.

7. The single-crystal silicon carbide substrate according to claim 4 , wherein the main surface of the single-crystal silicon carbide substrate has an oxide layer having a thickness of 5 nm or less.

8. The single-crystal silicon carbide substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the hidden scratches comprise charges.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2016
From: HIROOKA, TAISUKE; OKUDA, HIROYUKI
To: HITACHI METALS, LTD,
Reel/Frame 038205/0252 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-013216 · Jan 27, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160218003A1 · Jul 28, 2016