What Substrates Used to Fabricate Power Devices?

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Silicon With Poly Backside to Fabricate Power Devices

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Silicon Carbide Wafers to Fabricate Power Devices

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What Substrates are Used to Fabricate Power Devices?


The fabrication of power devices, such as transistors, diodes, thyristors, etc., typically involves the use of certain semiconducting substrates. These substrates serve as the foundation upon which the devices are built and are chosen for their specific electrical properties. Below are some of the most commonly used substrates for power devices:

  1. Silicon (Si): Silicon is the most widely used substrate in power device fabrication due to its mature processing technology, and its abundance, affordability, and good overall properties. However, the relatively low breakdown field and operational temperature limit of silicon power devices are areas for improvement.

  2. Silicon Carbide (SiC): Silicon carbide has been gaining a lot of attention in recent years as a substrate for power devices. This is due to its excellent properties such as high thermal conductivity, high breakdown field (around ten times that of silicon), and ability to operate at higher temperatures than silicon. These characteristics make SiC power devices ideal for high power and high temperature applications.

  3. Gallium Nitride (GaN): Gallium nitride is another promising substrate for power devices due to its high breakdown field, high electron mobility, and ability to operate at high frequencies. GaN devices offer superior performance in high power, high frequency, and high temperature applications.

  4. Gallium Arsenide (GaAs): Though less common for power applications, gallium arsenide is used in some power device contexts. It has higher electron mobility than silicon and good thermal conductivity, making it suitable for certain applications.

  5. Diamond: Diamond is considered an ideal material for power devices due to its extremely high breakdown field, high thermal conductivity, and wide bandgap. However, challenges related to diamond synthesis and doping have limited its practical application.

  6. Aluminum Nitride (AlN): Aluminum Nitride has excellent thermal conductivity and is often used as a substrate for high-power devices, especially where heat removal is critical. It's often seen in LED applications but has potential in other high power, high temperature scenarios.

  7. Aluminum Gallium Nitride (AlGaN): AlGaN is used in high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) which are capable of operating at high frequencies and power levels.

Remember, the choice of substrate is dependent on the requirements of the specific application, such as the power level, frequency, temperature, and more. Each of these materials has its own advantages and challenges in terms of cost, fabrication technology, performance, etc.