Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB

SiC Services

Custom-Tailored SiC-Services

IISB’s interdisciplinary toolbox for your projects

Embedded into IISB’s 'Technology & Manufacturing‘ and in close collaboration with our very own in-house brand ‘π-Fab’ we offer R&D Services ranging from material development and prototype devices to module assembly and mechatronic systems. Its unique material properties characterize 4H-SiC as ideal semiconductor for the realization of high-voltage and high-power electronic devices as well as for sensor and detector applications in harsh environments. Design studies, feasibility tests, proofs of concept or prototype fabrication make up only part of what IISB’s interdisciplinary toolbox has to offer.  

 

 

One-stop Solutions from Material to System

 

It is our major perspective to make our technology and knowledge in SiC available to our customers and in doing so support their research, development and manufacturing of devices, modules as well as systems. A mission that heavily relies on 20 years of expertise, in which the Fraunhofer IISB has been cooperating with partners from SiC industry and research, and has been able to establish its headquarter in Erlangen as Germany’s hotspot for silicon carbide.

SiC Core Competencies

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SiC Material Development

 

Material development forms the base of IISB’s SiC Services. Device and system expertise support our aim to provide customtailored material with quality beyond state of the art.  As to that, we offer one-stop solutions from epitaxy, to characterization, simulation and device processing.

 

Homoepitaxy

 

Fraunhofer IISB has been developing epitaxial growth processes for growth on the Si- and C-face of 4H-SiC vicinal substrates having different off-cuts, e.g. different off-cut angles and directions. Furthermore, a certain growth process for epilayers with low Basal Plane Dislocation densities is available.

 

Equipment

  • Horizontal hot-wall reactor (VP508GFR)
  • 2 separate growth tubes for n- and p-type layers with low compensation
  • Wafer capacity: 1 x 3 inch, 1 x 100 mm

CVD Process

  • Growth temperature up to 1700 °C
  • Precursors: silane, propane
  • Carrier gas: hydrogen
  • n-type by nitrogen doping (N2)
  • p-type by aluminum doping (TMA)

Typical Specifications

  • Epilayer thickness: 1 µm up to 60 µm
  • Thicker layers on request
  • n-type : 1 x 1015 cm-3 < n < 5 x 1017 cm-3
  • p-type : 1 x 1016 cm-3 < p < 5 x 1019 cm-3
  • Other doping levels on request

Characterization & Defect Analysis

 

Additionally, the IISB has profound knowledge about the characterization of structural defects in 4H-SiC material as well as about the electrical characterization of electronic devices at its disposal. We offer characterization services based on the methods listed below and support our customers to identify the appropriate characterization methods for their specific topics.

Epilayers and Devices

  • SEM equipped with EDS, CL, EBIC
  • TEM equipped with EDS, EELS
  • Focused ion beam (FIB)
  • X-ray topography (XRT)
  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM)

Epitaxial Layers

  • Defect selective etching (DSE)
  • Capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements
  • Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
  • Microwave-detected photoconductivity decay (µ-PCD)

Electronic Devices

  • Electrical characterization of devices (I-V, C-V) up to 500 °C
  • Parameter analysis of MOSFET devices
  • Static and dynamic characterization of high voltage devices
  • Automatic prober for reliability prediction

SiC Device Manufacturing

 

In close cooperation with Fraunhofer IISB’s ‘Devices’ we develop new SiC-device concepts, which not only meet our customers’ individual demands but offer solutions for new and more powerful applications (‘technology-push’).

Our mission is to make our technology and knowledge available to our customers in order to support their research, development, and manufacturing of SiC-based devices.

Continuous Process Line

  • Wet chemistry for cleaning
  • Photolithography
  • PECVD and ALD
  • Ion implantation with wafer heating
  • Annealing up to 1750 °C in various atmospheres
  • and more ...

Metallization
& Packaging

  • Contact formation (ohmic and Schottky)
  • Deposition and structuring of metallization layers and their passivation for application temperatures up to 500 °C
  • Sintering processes for packaging

Devices and Structures

  • Design and fabrication of test structures
  • Manufacturing of power electronic and sensor devices
More Info

SiC Prototype Fabrication  

 

Framed by IISB’s in-house prototype fabrication π-fab, we also offer the development and manufacturing of customer-specific power semiconductor prototypes (e.g. High channel mobility MOSFETs or UV/X-ray detectors). Fabrication is based on a CMOS process line an covers single devices as well as whole device concepts or specific process steps.

Characterization

  • Static and dynamic electrical analysis of power devices up to 500 °C
  • Ruggedness and reliability

Simulation

  • TCAD simulation of SiC devices
  • Development of compact models for electrical and thermal circuit simulations
  • Junction termination for kV devices

Services

  • Power semiconductor devices according to customer specifications
  • High channel mobility-MOSFETs
  • „„UV / X-ray detectors

SiC Module Development

& Assembly

 

Building on our expertise in SiC material development and device conception, we offer customized development and assembly for Sic modules, ranging from different die attach technologies and concepts to high speed switching designs as well as accelerated aging and lifetime modelling.  

Characterization

  • Dynamic switching performance
  • Active and passive temperature cycles
  • Shear tests as die attach quality indicator
  • Analysis of lifetime and failure mechanisms

Simulation

  • Thermal management from die to coolant
  • Plastic deformation during active and passive cycling
  • Intermetallic diffusion for high temperature chip metallization
  • Electric field distributions

Services

  • Customized multi-chip power modules
  • Manufacturing and packaging
  • Design for electrical, thermal, mechanical, and lifetime constraints

SiC Mechatronic Systems

 

From material to system and thus, completing the whole process chain of available SiC services, we work on the integration and optimization of SiC mechatronic systems for various fields of application.

Our objectives include the evaluation of novel devices in highly efficient power electronic systems, the cost reduction by system integration and more specific, the development of innovative solutions for automotive and energy transfer applications.

Characterization

  • Dynamic switching behavior of devices
  • Burst ruggedness of gate control circuits
  • EMC characterization and optimization

Simulation

  • Analytic evaluation of converter 
  • topologies
  • Optimum operating points for power semiconductors and passive devices
  • Determination of boundary conditions by electro-thermal co-simulation

Prototype

  • Bidirectional DC / DC and AC / DC converters for automotive and energy management
  • Inductive charging systems for electric cars
  • Ultra-high power densities up to 100 kW / l and switching frequencies up to 1 MHz
  • Multiport concepts with lowest profile

Publications

 

Brochures

 

Further Services at IISB

Prototype Fabrication

π-Fab

Industry 4.0

Dr. Production

Vehicle electronics

EV Test Center