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Micromachines
Volume 16
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10.3390/mi16060710
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Article

Influence of Homoepitaxial Layer Thickness on Flatness and Chemical Mechanical Planarization Induced Scratches of 4H-Silicon Carbide Epi-Wafers

by
Chi-Hsiang Hsieh
1,
Chiao-Yang Cheng
2,
Yi-Kai Hsiao
3,
Zi-Hao Wang
4,
Chang-Ching Tu
3,5,*,
Chao-Chang Arthur Chen
6,
Po-Tsung Lee
1 and
Hao-Chung Kuo
1,3,*
1
Department of Photonics, Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, College of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300093, Taiwan
2
Wafer Technology Division, HuaHsu Silicon Materials Corporation, Taichung 407019, Taiwan
3
Semiconductor Research Center, Hon Hai Research Institute, Taipei 114699, Taiwan
4
Academy of Innovative Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan
5
Department of Electrical Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan 320317, Taiwan
6
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106335, Taiwan
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Micromachines 2025, 16(6), 710; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16060710
Submission received: 2 May 2025 / Revised: 6 June 2025 / Accepted: 10 June 2025 / Published: 13 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Section D: Materials and Processing)
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Abstract

The integration of thick homoepitaxial layers on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates is critical for enabling high-voltage power devices, yet it remains challenged by substrate surface quality and wafer geometry evolution. This study investigates the relationship between substrate preparation—particularly chemical mechanical planarization (CMP)—and the impact on wafer bow, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and defect propagation during epitaxial growth. Seven 150 mm, 4° off-axis, prime-grade 4H-SiC substrates from a single ingot were processed under high-volume manufacturing (HVM) conditions and grown with epitaxial layers ranging from 12 μm to 100 μm. Metrology revealed a strong correlation between increasing epitaxial thickness and geometric deformation, especially beyond 31 μm. Despite initial surface scratches from CMP, hydrogen etching and buffer layer deposition significantly mitigated scratch propagation, as confirmed through defect mapping and SEM/FIB analysis. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the substrate-to-epitaxy integration process and offer pathways to improve manufacturability and yield in thick-epilayer SiC device fabrication.
Keywords: SiC thick epitaxial; SiC defect propagation; SiC wafer geometry SiC thick epitaxial; SiC defect propagation; SiC wafer geometry

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Hsieh, C.-H.; Cheng, C.-Y.; Hsiao, Y.-K.; Wang, Z.-H.; Tu, C.-C.; Chen, C.-C.A.; Lee, P.-T.; Kuo, H.-C. Influence of Homoepitaxial Layer Thickness on Flatness and Chemical Mechanical Planarization Induced Scratches of 4H-Silicon Carbide Epi-Wafers. Micromachines 2025, 16, 710. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16060710

AMA Style

Hsieh C-H, Cheng C-Y, Hsiao Y-K, Wang Z-H, Tu C-C, Chen C-CA, Lee P-T, Kuo H-C. Influence of Homoepitaxial Layer Thickness on Flatness and Chemical Mechanical Planarization Induced Scratches of 4H-Silicon Carbide Epi-Wafers. Micromachines. 2025; 16(6):710. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16060710

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hsieh, Chi-Hsiang, Chiao-Yang Cheng, Yi-Kai Hsiao, Zi-Hao Wang, Chang-Ching Tu, Chao-Chang Arthur Chen, Po-Tsung Lee, and Hao-Chung Kuo. 2025. "Influence of Homoepitaxial Layer Thickness on Flatness and Chemical Mechanical Planarization Induced Scratches of 4H-Silicon Carbide Epi-Wafers" Micromachines 16, no. 6: 710. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16060710

APA Style

Hsieh, C.-H., Cheng, C.-Y., Hsiao, Y.-K., Wang, Z.-H., Tu, C.-C., Chen, C.-C. A., Lee, P.-T., & Kuo, H.-C. (2025). Influence of Homoepitaxial Layer Thickness on Flatness and Chemical Mechanical Planarization Induced Scratches of 4H-Silicon Carbide Epi-Wafers. Micromachines, 16(6), 710. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16060710

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