Sumitomo Electric launches EpiEra SiC epiwafer, achieving 99% defect-free area

After being showcased at the International Conference on Silicon Carbide and Related Materials (ICSCRM 2017) in Washington DC, USA (17-22 September), Tokyo-based Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd (SEI) has launched the EpiEra high-quality SiC epitaxial wafer, which has now entered mass-production.

Demand for SiC-based devices is growing rapidly as a key component of energy-efficient solutions. However, to satisfy this demand and to compete with the yields and reliability of silicon-based devices, material improvements are necessary, says SEI.

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Sumitomo Electric has developed EpiEra by using its multi-parameter and zone (MPZ)-controlled SiC growth technology, which adjusts various parameters (including temperature, pressure, gas reactions etc) depending on the area and time zone by utilizing simulation and monitoring techniques.

EpiEra has achieved what is claimed to be an industry-leading 99% defect-free area (DFA), eliminating surface defects and basal plane dislocations (BPD) and hence improving quality stability and reliability, the firm adds.