Fabricating porous silicon carbide

• US 5,376,241 A
• Filed: 11/30/1993
• Issued: 12/27/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Original Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products Inc
• Inventors: Kurtz, Anthony D., Shor, Joseph S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valentine, Donald R.
• Application Number:
  US08/159,375
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 204/129.55, 204/129.3, 204/129.75, 204/129.8, 204/129.1
• US Class Current: 205/645
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/465 Chemical or electrical treatment, e.g. electrolytic etching to form insulating layers H01L21/469
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76 Making of isolation regions between components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1608 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/861 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/0054 for devices with an active region comprising only group IV elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/34 containing only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/96 Porous semiconductor

Abstract

The formation of porous SiC occurs under electrochemical anodization. A sample of SiC is contacted electrically with nickel and placed into an electrochemical cell which cell includes a counter electrode and a reference electrode. The sample is encapsulated so that only a bare semiconductor surface is exposed. The electrochemical cell is filled with an HF electrolyte which dissolves the SiC electrochemically. A potential is applied to the semiconductor and UV light illuminates the surface of the semiconductor. By controlling the light intensity, the potential and the doping level, a porous layer is formed in the semiconductor and thus one produces porous SiC.

Claims