Paper Titles

Growth of 8-Inch SiC Single Crystals with Low Basal Plane Dislocation Density
p.1

300 mm 4H-SiC Crystal and Substrate Development
p.7

Epitaxial Growth and Characterization of 4H-SiC Layer on C-Face and Si-Face Substrates
p.15

Development of High Concentration Uniformity Epitaxial Growth on 200 mm 4H-SiC Wafers
p.21

Ultra-Pure SiC Source Material for Optical SiC Crystal Growth
p.27

Ultra-Thick (~200µm) Epitaxy on 150mm 4H-SiC Wafers Using Single Wafer CVD Reactor
p.35

Solution Growth Technique of Silicon Carbide with In Situ Observation
p.41

Close Space PVT Growth of N- and P-Type Quasi-Bulk SiC in a Classic PVT Setup and a Newly Developed TableTopCS^TM Growth Machine
p.47

Application of a Fine Grain 3C-SiC Powder Source Material during PVT Growth of 4H-SiC Crystals
p.53

HomeSolid State PhenomenaSolid State Phenomena Vol. 393Ultra-Pure SiC Source Material for Optical SiC...

Ultra-Pure SiC Source Material for Optical SiC Crystal Growth

Article Preview

View Pdf By email

Abstract:

We report on the development and systematic validation of an ultra-pure silicon carbide (SiC) source material specifically engineered for physical vapor transport (PVT) growth of optical-and electronic-grade single crystals. The material is synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using high-purity chlorosilane and methane precursors, yielding dense, void-free polycrystalline 3C-SiC with precise 1:1 stoichiometry. Over more than two years of continuous production, bulk metallic impurities across 17 monitored elements were consistently maintained below 100 parts per billion by weight (ppbw), with most batches achieving <50 ppbw. Surface metals, assessed after proprietary crushing and cleaning processes, were similarly controlled to <100 ppbw. Nitrogen levels, determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), remained stable in the low 10¹⁵ cm⁻³ range, enabling semi-insulating or precisely doped crystal growth. Purity and reproducibility were verified by a cross-technique analytical approach including glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Microstructural investigations confirmed dense, void-free grains and high crystallographic uniformity. With production capacity scaling toward 60 tons per month, this CVD-based SiC source material establishes a robust platform for next-generation PVT growth. Its combination of ultra-low contamination, structural integrity, and scalable manufacturing positions it as a key enabler for optical SiC applications such as transparent wafers for augmented reality (AR) systems, as well as advanced power and RF devices.

You have full access to the following eBook

Bulk and Epitaxial Growth of SiC

Info:

Periodical:

Solid State Phenomena (Volume 393)

Pages:

27-33

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4028/p-1jrfAp

Citation:

Cite this paper

Online since:

May 2026

Authors:

Michael Schley, Friedrich Schaaff, Jan Richter*

Keywords:

Augmented Reality (AR), Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS), Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), Optical Applications, Physical Vapor Transport (PVT) Growth, Polycrystalline 3C-SiC, Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), Silicon Carbide (SiC), Trace Impurities, Transparent Wafers, Ultra-High Purity

Export:

RIS, BibTeX

Permissions:

Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

Share:

Citation:

* - Corresponding Author

[1] Kimoto, T., & Cooper, J. A. (2014). Fundamentals of Silicon Carbide Technology: Growth, Characterization, Devices and Applications. Wiley-IEEE Press.

DOI: 10.1002/9781118313534

[2] Choyke, W. J., Matsunami, H., & Pensl, G. (Eds.). (2004). Silicon Carbide: Recent Major Advances. Springer.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-18870-1

[3] Kordina, O., Saddow, S. E., Kimoto, T., & Agarwal, A. (2021). Silicon Carbide Power Devices. Elsevier.

[4] Rupp, R., et al. (2018). "Ultra-high-purity SiC and its role in power electronics." Journal of Crystal Growth, 498, 380–387.

[5] Murakami, H., et al. (2020). "Advances in bulk SiC crystal growth for optical and power applications." Applied Physics Express, 13(12), 120101.

[6] Größmann, I., et al. (2021). "Method and device for producing a SiC solid material." International patent application WO 2022123072.

[7] Ceran, K., et al. (2022). "Method for producing at least one crack-free SiC piece." International patent application WO 2023222787.

[8] Größmann, I., et al. (2024). "Method and system for SIC production and improved vent gas recycling." International patent application WO2025051945.

[9] Hofmann, S., & Rauschenbach, B. (1990). "Glow discharge mass spectrometry in materials science." Surface and Interface Analysis, 16(9), 577–582.

[10] Itoh, A., Okumura, H., & Matsunami, H. (1995). "Quantitative analysis of nitrogen in 4H-SiC epilayers by secondary ion mass spectrometry." Journal of Applied Physics, 77(11), 837–843.

[11] Rossotti, F. J., et al. (2023). "Tackling the Challenging Determination of Trace Elements in Ultrapure SiC via LA-ICP-MS." Molecules, 28(6), 2845.

DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062845

[12] Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP. (n.d.). "Surface contamination analysis, high-sensitivity ICP-MS of SiC materials." Fraunhofer CSP Ultratrace Analysis Service. csp.fraunhofer.de.

[13] Toray Research Center, Inc. (2016). "High-sensitive analysis of metal impurities on Si & SiC substrates—ICP-MS methods." Toray Technical Information Series.

[14] Ruska, J., Lugovy, M., & Kordina, O. (2001). "Accuracy of X-ray diffraction SiC polytype-composition analyses." Journal of Materials Synthesis and Processing, 9(4), 211–218.

[15] Gauckler, L. J., & Scherrer, P. (2003). "Quantitative polytype-composition analyses of SiC using X-ray diffraction." Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 136(1–3), 191–197.

[16] Wyatt, C. N., & Blackson, J. (2016). "Using XRD and TGA-DSC to characterize a silicon carbide powder." Kansas State University Undergraduate Research Reports, 12, 1–7.

[17] Kumar, G., Chen, J.-W., Ma, H.-H., Huang, X.-F., & Huang, M. H. (2022). Facet-dependent electrical conductivity properties of a 4H-SiC wafer. Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 10(28), 10424–10428.

DOI: 10.1039/d2tc01981g