New processes and advanced equipments for the production of silicon carbide wafers
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In the field of power devices realized on silicon carbide (SiC) the main effort of the international community is devoted to the increase of the quality of the material, to the increase of the dimension of the wafer and to the wafer cost reduction. In this field is located the research activity of the research group. The research activity is focalized on the developing of the following points:
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| Group Leader: Francesco La Via |
Research staff
A. Alberti
R. Anzalone
M. Camarda
A. Canino
G. D’Arrigo
A. La Magna
F. La Via
G. Pellegrino
N. Piluso
A. Severino
L. Calcagno (associated)
R. Reitano (associated)
Collaborations
Physics Department, Catania University
Epitaxial Technology Center (ETC) Srl
LPE SpA
H2CU
aldoNumidia Srl
University of South Florida, Tampa (USA)
University of Erlanghen (Germany)
Politecnico di Milano
Projects related to the activity
Public/Private Laboratory for the development of “Advanced equipments and new processing Laboratory for the production of Silicon Carbide wafers (Silicon Carbide Integrated Laboratory)” (SiCiLab www.sicilab.eu) funded by the Italian Ministry of Research (MIUR) (Law 297/89 – Art 12/ DM 593, 2000 – Project DM 23176), starting date 1/04/2006, end 31/03/2015.
For further information dowload these files: SiCiLab
CVD and PVT reactors for the growth of silicon carbide substrate and for the epitaxial growth
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Two new CVD reactors have been developed in collaboration with the Epitaxial Technology Center (ETC) and LPE. The first CVD reactor is the ACISM8 CVD reactor that can grow on 6 2 inches or 3 3 inches wafers. The second CVD reactor is a larger one the ACISM10 that can grow on 9 2 inches or 5 3 inches or 3 4 inches wafers. The thickness uniformity is in both cases between 1 and 2% while the doping uniformity is between 5 and 10%. Both the reactors can grow with growth rates ranging between 2 and 100 mm/h. The last year a new PVT reactor for the growth of 4 inches ingots has been developed in collaboration with ETC and the University of Erlanghen (Germany). Contact person: Francesco La Via |
Growth processes with new precursors
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Homo-epitaxy (4H-SiC on 4H-SiC)New epitaxial processes have been developed using SiH4 and HCl or TCS. With these processes a very high growth rate (x20 with respect to the standard process) with a good quality of the epitaxial layer can be reached. Contact person: Francesco La Via
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Publications
1) New Achievements on CVD Based Methods for SiC Epitaxial Growth, D. Crippa, G.L. Valente, A. Ruggiero, L. Neri, R. Reitano, L. Calcagno,G. Foti, M.Mauceri, S. Leone,G. Pistone, G. Abbondanza, G.Abbagnale, A. Veneroni, F. Omarini, L. Zamolo, M. Masi, F.Roccaforte, F. Giannazzo,S. Di Franco and F. La Via - Mat. Sci. Forum 483-485, 67 (2005)
2) 4H SiC “Epitaxial Growth with Chlorine Addition, F. La Via, G. Galvagno, G. Foti, M. Mauceri, S. Leone, G. Pistone,G. Abbondanza, A. Veneroni, M. Masi, G. L. Valente, and D. Crippa - Chemical Vapour Deposition 12, 509 (2006)
3) High growth rate process in a SiC horizontal CVD reactor using HCl, F. La Via, G. Galvagno, F. Roccaforte, F. Giannazzo, S. Di Franco, A. Ruggiero,R. Reitano, L. Calcagno, G. Foti, M. Mauceri, S. Leone, G. Pistone,F. Portuese, G. Abbondanza, G. Abbagnale, A. Veneroni, F. Omarini,L. Zamolo, M. Masi, G.L. Valente, D. Crippa - Microelectronic Engineering 83, 48 (2006)
4) Optical and electrical properties of 4H-SiC epitaxial layer grown with HCl addition, L. Calcagno, G. Izzo, G. Litrico, G. Foti, F. La Via, G. Galvagno, M. Mauceri and S. Leone - J. Appl. Phys. 102, 043523 (2007)
5) 4H-SiC epitaxial layer growth by trichlorosilane (TCS), F. La Via, G.Izzo, M.Mauceri, G.Pistone, G.Condorelli, L.Perdicaro, G.Abbondanza, L. Calcagno, G.Foti, D.Crippa Journal of Crystal Growth 311, 107 (2008)
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Hetero-epitaxy (3C-SiCon Si)Several processes on different Si orientation and different off-axis directions have been developed using both SiH4 and TCS as silicon precursor. The density of stacking faults has been found to decrease increasing the 3C-SiC layer thickness and that is lower with the off-cut towards the <110> direction. Contact person: Francesco La Via
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Publications
1) Thin crystalline 3C-SiC layer growth through carbonization of differently oriented Si substrates, A. Severino, G. D’Arrigo, C. Bongiorno, S. Scalese, and F. La Via, G. Foti - J. Appl. Phys. 102, 023518 (2007)
2) Heteroepitaxial growth of (111) 3C-SiC on (110) Si substrate by second order twins, R. Anzalone, C. Bongiorno, A. Severino, G. D’Arrigo, G. Abbondanza, G. Foti, and F. La Via - Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 224102 (2008)
3) 3C-SiC hetero-epitaxial films for sensor fabrication, R. Anzalone, A. Severino, C. Locke,D. Rodilosso, C. Tringali, S. E. Saddow, F. La Via and G. D’Arrigo - Advances in Science and Technology 54, 411 (2008)
4) Effect of the miscut direction in (111) 3C-SiC film growth on off-axis (111) Si, Severino, M. Camarda, G. Condorelli, L. M. S. Perdicaro, R. Anzalone, M. Mauceri, A. La Magna, and F. La Via - Appl. Phys. Lett. 94, 101907 (2009)
5) Heteropitaxy of 3C-SiC on different on-axis oriented silicon substrates, R. Anzalone, A. Severino, G. D'arrigo, C. Bongiorno, G. Abbondanza, G. Foti, S. Saddow, F. La Via J. Appl. Phys. 105(8), 084910 (2009)
Simulation codes of the reactors and the growth processes
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The Montecarlo code was tested with the experimental data and can predict the behavior of the maximum growth rate vs. the misorientation cut. On this subject an invited talk has been given to M. Camarda at the MRS Spring 2010 Contact person: Antonino La Magna
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Publications
1) A kinetic Monte Carlo method on super-lattices for the study of the defect formation in the growth of close packed structures, M. Camarda , A. La Magna, F. La Via - Journal of Computational Physics 227, 1075 (2007)
2) Defect formation and evolution in the step-flow growth of silicon carbide: A Monte Carlo study, M. Camarda, A. La Magna, P. Fiorenza, F. Giannazzo, F. La Via - Journal of Crystal Growth 310, 971 (2008)
3) Monte Carlo study of the step flow to island nucleation transition for close packed structures, M. Camarda, A. La Magna, F. La Via - SURF SCI 603(14), 2226 (2009)
Characterization techniques of silicon carbide
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The main characterization technique that are used by the research group are: • X-Ray diffraction • Optical characterization • Electrical characterization • Stress characterization by test structures
Contact person: Alessandra Alberti |
Publications
1) Drift mobility in 4H-SiC Schottky diodes, F. La Via, G. Galvagno, and F. Roccaforte, A. Ruggiero and L. Calcagno - Appl. Phys. Lett.87, 142105 (2005)
2) Optical and electrical properties of 4H-SiC epitaxial layer grown with HCl addition, L. Calcagno, G. Izzo, G. Litrico, G. Foti, F. La Via, G. Galvagno, M. Mauceri and S. Leone - J. Appl. Phys. 102, 043523 (2007)
3) 3C-SiC hetero-epitaxial films for sensor fabrication, R. Anzalone, A. Severino, C. Locke,D. Rodilosso, C. Tringali, S. E. Saddow, F. La Via and G. D'Arrigo - Advances in Science and Technology 54, 411 (2008)
4) Low temperature reaction of point defects in ion irradiated 4H-SiC, G. Litrico, G. Izzo, L. Calcagno, F. La Via, G. Foti - Diamond & Related Materials 18, 39 (2009)
