Norstel develops low defect 150mm SiC substrates
Company reports a threading screw dislocation density below 500 cm-2
Norstel AB, Sweden, has announces the successful development of low defect density 150mm SiC n-type substrates. "With a micropipe density (MPD) below 0,2 cm-2 and a Threading Screw Dislocation (TSD) density below 500 cm-2, our first 150mm conductive 4H SiC substrates demonstrate our commitment to quality as an enabler for high yield device processing" says Alexandre Ellison, CTO of Norstel AB.
The company states that it has prioritised wafer quality over time to get to the next wafer size. As a result, emphasis was given in R&D to first decrease the dislocation density in the SiC wafers prior to diameter expansion from 100mm to 150mm. First 150mm customer samples will be available by 1st quarter 2018.
Ronald Vogel, CCO of Norstel, summarizes: "Our SiC Perfection development program performed in the recent years has enabled us to achieve a leading position in terms of high quality SiC wafers. We now have achieved to preserve the high quality during the expansion to 150mm. In light of the growing market demand for SiC based energy efficient power electronics solutions in applications like PVs, EVs/HEVs, charging infrastructure, trains, energy storage and many more the SiC device and module industry scales up to meet such demand. Larger diameter and lower defect SiC wafers will enable them to increase production efficiency, device yields and volume supply capability to meet their customers' expectations."
