Targets
Epitaxial Technology Center ltd (E.T.C.), alongside with the National Research Council – Institute for Microelectronic and Microsystems (CNR – IMM), the Honors Center of Italian Universities(H2CU), and Nu.M.I.D.I.A ltd, have created SiCilab, an Integrated Laboratory developing tools and advanced technologies aimed to the production of Silicon Carbide wafers (SiC).
The purpose is to integrate the participants’ existing competences to speed up technology maturity, which is strategic for the global semiconductors firms and the scientific community.
The project proposals, in addition to the interesting results already obtained, are solicited that such an aggregation and the research actions expected by the project will allow the project to overcome many present technological limitations connected to this material, and to gain international leadership in the area.
Context
Thanks to the intensive research works carried out by the Department of Physics and National Research Council – Institute for Microelectronic and Microsystems, Catania holds a notable competence in the field of Silicon Carbide semiconductor material growth, characterization and processing.
Already from this activity, ST Microelectronics has designed and developed power Schottky diodes using Silicon Carbide for advanced applications. In the same period, the Epitaxial Technology Center, the National Research Council, the universites of Catania and Milan, and L.P.E. have started working on the homoepitaxial growth of Silicon Carbide, generating results that are competitive on the international stage.
The Epitaxial Technology Center is currently the only European firm developing epitaxial processes along with epitaxial growth systems.
Project structure
This research project regards the development of advanced technologies for machines and processes needed by the SiC wafer growth. This need was stimulated by increasing demands from the high frequency, high power, and control electronic market, which is an emerging market of high interest internationally.
To satisfy these needs, the Research Project and the connected Training Project have been structured according to the following scheme:
Activities
The project must achieve 4 targets objectives, as described in the following table:
Concise Synoptical Table |
|
| AT 1 | Development of advanced tools instrumental to the production of SiC wafers, with high efficiency and productivity |
| AT 2 | Material analysis and process tuning for the production of SiC epitaxial slices over large size SiC substrates |
| AT 3 | Planning and realization of software instruments to simulate and optimize the production of SiC wafers |
| AT 4 | Realization of an Advanced Laboratory to characterize and control processes involved in the SiC wafers production |
Site
The project takes place inside the E.T.C. plant, in the industrial area of Catania: both research and training projects are performed in the new E.T.C. laboratory and all units interact together in the same place to ensure maximum benefit to the participants through interaction and discussion.
This structure covers a 6.000 m² surface, and accommodates administrative offices as well as R&D and production areas, in addition to the new SiCilab Laboratory (located in XVI STRADA S.N. FRAZIONE PANTANO D'ARCI - Z.I. - CATANIA).