Method of producing a semiconductor device of SiC

• US 6,306,773 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cree Sweden AB
• Original Assignee: Adås, Christian, Andrei Konstantinov, Christopher Harris, Hörman, Thomas, Stefan Karlsson
• Inventors: Harris, Christopher, Karlsson, Stefan, Konstantinov, Andrei, Adås, Christian, Hörman, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Utech, Benjamin L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, MATTHEW A
• Application Number:
  US09/496,085
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 438/745, 438/746, 438/735, 438/737, 438/738
• US Class Current: 438/745
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00595 Control etch selectivity
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0114 Electrochemical etching, anodic oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/0133 Wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0475 Changing the shape of the semiconductor body, e.g. forming recesses, etching of the semiconductor body H01L21/302

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for selective etching of SiC, the etching being carried out by applying a positive potential to a layer (3; 8) of p-type SiC being in contact with an etching solution containing fluorine ions and having an oxidising effect on SiC. The invention also relates to a method for producing a SiC micro structure having free hanging parts (i.e. diaphragm, cantilever or beam) on a SiC-substrate, a method for producing a MEMS device of SiC having a free hanging structure, and a method for producing a piezo-resistive pressure sensor comprising the step of applying a positive potential to a layer (8) of p-type SiC being in contact with an etching solution containing fluorine ions and having an oxidising effect on SiC.

Claims

1. A method for selective etching of SiC, characterised in that the etching is carried out by applying a positive potential to a layer (3;

8) of p-type SiC being in contact with an etching solution containing fluorine ions and having an oxidising effect on SiC.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said layer (3;

8) is part of a multi-layer structure with at least two layers of SiC with different nature of doping, i.e. different doping concentration and/or different doping type, n and p, so that said etching step results in an etching of said layers to an extent depending upon the nature of doping of the individual layers.

3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the multi-layer structure comprises a first layer (2;

9) of p-type SiC, a second layer (3;

8) of p-type SiC and a third layer (4;

13) of n-type SiC, the p-type layer to be etched constituting said second layer (3;

8) and being located between the first and the third layer (2, 4;

9, 13), said second layer (3;

8) having a doping concentration which is higher than the doping concentration of the first layer (2;

9), and the positive potential being applied to the second layer (3;

8) via the first layer (2;

9).

4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the second layer (3;

8) has a doping concentration which is at least ten times as high as the doping concentration of the first layer (2;

9).

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the second layer (3;

8) has a doping concentration >

10¹⁷ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

6. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the first layer (2;

9) and/or the second layer (3;

8) and/or the third layer (4, 13) is/are of 6H—

SiC.

7. A method according to claim 2 wherein the at least two layers of SiC possess different doping concentration and/or doping type.

8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the etching solution consists of a mixture of NH₄F and water.

9. A method for producing a micro structure containing a free hanging structure, such as a diaphragm, cantilever or beam, on a SiC-substrate comprising layers of SiC, characterised in

that the SiC-substrate is formed with a first layer (2;

9) of p-type SiC, a second layer of p-type SiC and a third layer (4;

13) of n-type SiC, the second layer (3;

8) being located between the first and the third layer (2, 4;

9, 13), and the second layer (3;

8) having a doping concentration which is higher than the doping concentration of the first layer (2;

9),

that a passage (5;

12, 14) is formed in the substrate for allowing a selective etching solution to come into contact with the second layer (3;

8),

that the substrate is placed in a selective etching solution containing fluorine ions and having an oxidising effect on SiC, and

that a positive potential is applied to the second layer (3;

8) via the first layer (2;

9) so as to etch said second layer (3;

8) in the etching solution for the formation of an interspace (7;

16) between the first layer (2;

9) and the third layer (4;

13), whereby said free hanging structure (17) is formed by said third layer (4;

13).

10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the second layer (3;

8) has a doping concentration which is at least ten times as high as the doping concentration of the first layer (2;

9).

11. A method for producing a piezo-resistive pressure sensor, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

forming a first layer (8) of p-type SiC on a substrate (9) of p-type SiC by epitaxial growth or ion implantation, said layer (8) being formed with a doping concentration which is higher than the doping concentration of the substrate (9),

forming a second layer (13) of n-type SiC on the first layer (8) by epitaxial growth or ion implantation,

forming a passage (12, 14) in the second layer (13) for allowing a selective etching solution to come into contact with the first layer (8),

placing the so formed structure (15) in a selective etching solution containing fluorine ions and having an oxidising effect on SiC,

applying a positive potential to the first layer (8) via the substrate so as to etch said first layer in the etching solution for the formation of an interspace (16) between the substrate (9) and the second layer (13), whereby a diaphragm (17) is formed by said second layer (13),

forming a third layer (18) of SiC on the diaphragm (17) and the exposed parts of the substrate (9) by epitaxial growth, and

etching the third layer (18) to form a piezo resistor (19) of the third layer material on the diaphragm (17) and to form a sealing (20) of the third layer material between the diaphragm (17) and the substrate (9) so as to seal the cavity (16) formed between the diaphragm (17) and the substrate (9).

12. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that the third layer (18) is of p-type SiC or contains a combination of p-type and n-type layers of SiC.

13. A method for producing a MEMS device of SiC having a free hanging structure, such as a diaphragm, cantilever or beam, characterised in that the method comprises the following steps:

forming a first layer (8) of p-type SiC on a substrate (9) of p-type SiC by epitaxial growth or ion implantation, said layer (8) being formed with a doping concentration which is higher than the doping concentration of the substrate (9),

forming a second layer (13) of n-type SiC on the first layer (8) by epitaxial growth or ion implantation,

forming at least one passage (12, 14) in the second layer (13) for allowing a selective etching solution to come into contact with the first layer (8),

placing the so formed sample (15) in a selective etching solution containing fluorine ions and having an oxidising effect on SiC, and

applying a positive potential to the first layer (8) via the substrate (9) so as to etch said first layer (8) in the etching solution for the formation of an interspace (16) between the substrate (9) and the second layer (13), whereby said free hanging structure (17) is formed by said second layer (13).

14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the first layer (8) is formed with a doping concentration which is at least ten times as high as the doping concentration of the substrate (9).

15. A method according to claim 14, characterized in that the first layer (8) is formed with a doping concentration >

10¹⁷ cm<sup>−

3</sup>.

16. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that before the formation of the second layer (13) on the first layer (8), the first layer (8) is subjected to etching so as to form a protruding part (10) of the first layer material, said protruding part (10) defining the shape of the diaphragm (17).

17. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the substrate (9) and/or the first layer (8) and/or the second layer (13) and/or the third layer (18) is/are formed of 6H—

SiC.

18. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the passage (12, 14) in the second layer (13) is formed by dry etching.

19. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that after the electrochemical etching of the first layer (8), a third layer (18) of SiC is formed on the second layer (13) by epitaxial growth or ion implantation, said third layer (18) being subjected to etching to form a piezo element (19) of the third layer material on the free hanging structure (17) and/or to form a sealing (20) of the third layer material between the free hanging structure (17) and the substrate (9) so as to seal the cavity (16) formed between the free hanging structure (17) and the substrate (9).

20. A method according to claim 19, characterized in that the third layer (18) is of p-type SiC or contains a combination of p-type and n-type layers of SiC.

21. A method according to claim 19, characterized in that the piezo resistor (19) and/or the seal (20) is formed of the third layer (18) by dry etching.