SBIR PHASE I: SiC on Insulator for High Frequency Devices

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一期项目将研究碳化硅绝缘体技术，该技术类似于绝缘体上硅（SOI）。对用于高频率和高功率电子器件的宽禁带半导体的兴趣正在迅速增加。从材料和器件加工的角度来看，碳化硅是最先进的宽带隙半导体。然而，许多器件应用，特别是高频器件，需要绝缘或半绝缘衬底以获得最佳性能。然而，目前还没有半绝缘的SiC衬底。第一阶段将开发SiC绝缘体，并使用氮化铝（AlN）代替二氧化硅（SiO2）作为绝缘体。AlN具有6.2 eV的宽带隙，并且在其沉积形式下几乎是绝缘的。该材料系统的另一个潜在用途是作为金属-绝缘体-半导体（MIS）器件的绝缘体，作为在高温下使用SiO2的替代品。在第一阶段，这种结构将在常见的六边形多型（6H-SiC）衬底上生长。第二阶段将进一步发展这项技术，并举例说明这些SiC在绝缘衬底上的晶体管性能。商业应用有望在成本效益和可重复制造高性能，高频器件上使用SiC绝缘体技术。对于必须在高温下工作的MIS结构，AlN也可能是一种有用的绝缘体。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate silicon carbide (SiC) on insulator technology, which is similar to that of silicon on insulator (SOI). Interest is rapidly increasing in wide bandgap semiconductors for superior high frequency and high power electronics. SiC is the most advanced wide bandgap semiconductor from a materials and device processing point of view. However, many device applications, especially high frequency devices, require insulating or semi-insulating substrates for optimum performance. However, there are currently no semi-insulating SiC substrates. Phase I will develop a SiC on insulator, and instead of silicon dioxide (SiO2), aluminum nitride (AlN) will be used as the insulator. AlN has a wide bandgap of 6.2 eV and is virtually insulating in its as-deposited form. Another potential use for this material system is as an insulator in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices as an alternate to SiO2 for use at high temperatures. In Phase I this structure will be grown on a common hexagonal polytype (6H-SiC) substrates. Phase II would further develop this technology and examlne transistor performance on these SiC on insulating substrates. Commercial applications are expected in cost-effective and reproducible manufacture of high-performance, high-frequency devices using SiC on insulator technology. AlN may also be a useful insulator for MIS structures which must operate at high temperatures.