Communication science et technologie
Volume 10, Numéro 1, Pages 01-12
2012-01-01

Silicon Carbide: Properties And Applications

Authors : Chalabi Djilali .

Abstract

1: Introduction The ever increasing challenges faced in technical areas where equipments have to work under harsh conditions offer great prospects of development and scientific understanding. The search for electronic components capable of meeting the challenge open applications in space, telecommunications, transport, high temperature and/or high power environments, etc. For this purpose, research has been initiated since the seventies on wide bandgap materials such as silicon carbide, gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, etc. So far, the results have shown that silicon carbide with its excellent physical and chemical properties is the best choice for the production of electronic components for above applications. It is known that tight chemical bonding makes semiconductors of the diamond type chemically inactive at high temperatures (Tairov & Willander,1997), but they have interesting properties to enforce such as hardness, mechanical strength and resistance to radiation. These physical properties ensure their widespread use without damage in space, aviation, military, automotive and stressful industry applications. Properties such as high value of electric field breakdown, high saturation velocity (drift speed limit) and high thermal conductivity are of great importance for high power, high temperature and high frequency applications. Though silicon carbide has the best properties for above applications, one has to know all about its technological process such as its preparation, purification, growth, n and p doping, oxidation, metallization, etc. Problems related to the formation of structural micropipes, interface substrate-active layer state, best substrate to use, nature of metal contact to use for high temperature applications, etc. are also important to know for a better design of devices.

Keywords

Silicon Carbide,elecommunications,electronic