公开(公告)号：US20220189768A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-16

申请号：US17121863

申请日：2020-12-15

Applicant: Cree, Inc.

Inventor： Yuri Khlebnikov ,  Varad R. Sakhalkar ,  Caleb A. Kent ,  Valeri F. Tsvetkov ,  Michael J. Paisley ,  Oleksandr Kramarenko ,  Matthew David Conrad ,  Eugene Deyneka ,  Steven Griffiths ,  Simon Bubel ,  Adrian R. Powell ,  Robert Tyler Leonard ,  Elif Balkas ,  Curt Progl ,  Michael Fusco ,  Alexander Shveyd ,  Kathy Doverspike ,  Lukas Nattermann

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  C30B29/36

Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) materials including SiC wafers and SiC boules and related methods are disclosed that provide large dimension SiC wafers with reduced crystallographic stress. Growth conditions for SiC materials include maintaining a generally convex growth surface of SiC crystals, adjusting differences in front-side to back-side thermal profiles of growing SiC crystals, supplying sufficient source flux to allow commercially viable growth rates for SiC crystals, and reducing the inclusion of contaminants or non-SiC particles in SiC source materials and corresponding SiC crystals. By forming larger dimension SiC crystals that exhibit lower crystallographic stress, overall dislocation densities that are associated with missing or additional planes of atoms may be reduced, thereby improving crystal quality and usable SiC crystal growth heights.

公开(公告)号：US20210170632A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-10

申请号：US17178532

申请日：2021-02-18

Applicant: Cree, Inc.

Inventor： Simon Bubel ,  Matthew Donofrio ,  John Edmond ,  Ian Currier

IPC: B28D5/00 ,  H01L29/16

Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.

公开(公告)号：US11034056B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-15

申请号：US16784311

申请日：2020-02-07

Applicant: Cree, Inc.

Inventor： Simon Bubel ,  Matthew Donofrio ,  John Edmond ,  Ian Currier

IPC: B28D5/00 ,  H01L29/16

Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.

公开(公告)号：US20210198804A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-01

申请号：US17124810

申请日：2020-12-17

Applicant: Cree, Inc.

Inventor： Yuri Khlebnikov ,  Varad R. Sakhalkar ,  Caleb A. Kent ,  Valeri F. Tsvetkov ,  Michael J. Paisley ,  Oleksandr Kramarenko ,  Matthew David Conrad ,  Eugene Deyneka ,  Steven Griffiths ,  Simon Bubel ,  Adrian R. Powell ,  Robert Tyler Leonard ,  Elif Balkas ,  Jeffrey C. Seaman

IPC: C30B29/36 ,  H01L29/16 ,  H01L29/34 ,  H01L29/36 ,  H01L21/04 ,  C30B23/02 ,  C30B31/22 ,  C30B33/02

Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include large diameter SiC wafers with wafer shape characteristics suitable for semiconductor manufacturing. Large diameter SiC wafers are disclosed that have reduced deformation related to stress and strain effects associated with forming such SiC wafers. As described herein, wafer shape and flatness characteristics may be improved by reducing crystallographic stress profiles during growth of SiC crystal boules or ingots. Wafer shape and flatness characteristics may also be improved after individual SiC wafers have been separated from corresponding SiC crystal boules. In this regard, SiC wafers and related methods are disclosed that include large diameter SiC wafers with suitable crystal quality and wafer shape characteristics including low values for wafer bow, warp, and thickness variation.