Silicon carbide is an excellent material that is reshaping the future of multiple industries. Are you interested in this material? Read on to learn everything about silicon carbide.
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The chemical formula of silicon carbide is SiC, which is composed of a silicon atom and a carbon atom precisely combined. People also call silicon carbide diamond and silicon carbide. It is a material with ultra-high hardness and high thermal conductivity.
Are you curious about how silicon carbide was discovered? In , American inventor Acheson accidentally discovered silicon carbide when he was trying to make diamonds in the laboratory.
Since its discovery, silicon carbide has undergone an important transformation from a simple grinding material to a high-tech semiconductor material. With the continuous improvement of manufacturing technology, the application field of silicon carbide is also expanding.
You may wonder, does silicon carbide exist in nature? The answer is yes. Natural silicon carbide is mainly found in the rare mineral moissanite, but the content is very small. Currently, 99% of the silicon carbide you see on the market is artificially synthesized, which is a stable supply channel for silicon carbide.
Lely method
Are you curious about how high-purity silicon carbide is produced? The Lely method is one of the most classic manufacturing methods.
1. Heat silicon carbide powder to ℃
2. Sublimate graphite in a crucible
3. Crystallize on a graphite rod at a lower temperature
The purity of silicon carbide crystals obtained by this method is very high, but the cost is also high.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
CVD is the most commonly used method for preparing semiconductor-grade silicon carbide.
1. Introduce a special gas mixture into a vacuum environment
2. Make the gas react chemically on the substrate surface
3. Form a high-quality silicon carbide film
This method can accurately control the growth process of silicon carbide and is very suitable for large-scale production.
With the advancement of modern science and technology, traditional processes have been improved, manufacturing costs have been greatly reduced, and the quality of silicon carbide obtained has become higher. The main improved technologies are in two aspects.
1. Use an improved temperature control system
The temperature can be accurate to 1°C, which is more accurate;
Multi-segment temperature gradient control can be used, which is more efficient and reasonable;
With real-time temperature detection and feedback, it can ensure that the crystal growth process is more uniform and stable.
2. Introduce intelligent automation control
Use AI to assist production control
Use robots for crystal pulling
After experience testing by many manufacturers, the production efficiency has increased by 300% and the defect rate has decreased by 50% compared with traditional processes
3. New growth technology
Physical vapor transport (PVT)
Continuous feed sublimation method
Improved Lely method
Through the improvement of modern technology, you can get higher quality silicon carbide at a more favorable price. So far, the manufacturing cost of the market has dropped by 40% compared with 5 years ago, and the quality has doubled!
In the production process, quality control is crucial. Are you curious about what kind of silicon carbide is good? What quality control does high-quality silicon carbide go through during the production process?
Crystal quality inspection
X-ray diffraction analysis;
Microscopic observation of crystal orientation;
Dislocation density test results show that the defect density must be less than 1/cm2
Purity test
Chemical composition analysis;
Impurity content test;
Atomic spectrum analysis. If it is semiconductor-grade silicon carbide, the purity must reach 99.%
Performance verification
Breakdown voltage test
Carrier mobility test
Test whether the thermal conductivity meets the standard
International standard certification
SEMI standard
JEDEC certification
ISO quality system to ensure product quality
Through these strict quality assurances, you can ensure that the silicon carbide you receive is of high quality. Did you know that high-quality silicon carbide products can only enter the market after passing all tests?
Silicon carbide is second only to diamond in hardness, making it a very hard material, which is why you can find it in a variety of cutting tools.
Silicon carbide also performs well in heat dissipation, and it is an effective material for dissipating heat from your electronic devices.
Silicon carbide is also an excellent semiconductor material with unique advantages.
Silicon carbide is chemically very stable and not easily corroded, making it very suitable for some chemical applications.
In harsh environments, silicon carbide still performs well. It has excellent corrosion resistance and long service life.
By doping, you can get different types of semiconductors:
Compared with traditional silicon materials, silicon carbide has the following advantages:
Three times the bandgap width
10 times higher breakdown voltage
Higher operating temperature
Similarly, silicon carbide also has disadvantages:
production costs are 3-5 times higher;
wafer defect rates are higher;
processing technology is more complicated
Compared with alumina, which is also a ceramic material, it has the following advantages:
Higher thermal conductivity
Better electrical conductivity
Stronger high temperature resistance
Compared with aluminum oxide, silicon carbide has the following disadvantages:
Higher cost
More difficult to process
More demanding manufacturing process requirements
Learn more: Silicon Carbide vs Aluminum Oxide
Compared with gallium nitride, the advantages of silicon carbide are as follows:
Better heat dissipation performance
More mature technology
Higher reliability
In comparison, the disadvantages of silicon carbide are:
Poor high-frequency performance
Larger volume
Traditional applications have laid a solid market foundation for silicon carbide. Did you know that more than 60% of silicon carbide is used in these traditional fields every year? Whether it is cutting tools, refractory materials, or automotive parts, silicon carbide can be seen in many common applications in daily life, thanks to its excellent performance and durability.
Abrasives and cutting tools
In traditional industrial applications, silicon carbide is the most widely used in the field of abrasives. Every year, 40% of the world’s silicon carbide is used for abrasive manufacturing. It has high hardness and sharp cutting edges. It is an indispensable material in the grinding and cutting industry. If you are choosing a suitable cutting tool, silicon carbide is the material you can give priority to!
Black silicon carbide is suitable for grinding hard materials such as glass, ceramics and other materials
Green silicon carbide is suitable for precision polishing to create a perfect surface finish
Manufacturing of grinding wheels and discs
High-precision grinding tools
Hard metal surface treatment
Hard stone surface processing
Refractory materials
Silicon carbide has excellent high temperature resistance. Many high temperature industries cannot do without silicon carbide. According to empirical statistics, the service life of silicon carbide is 3 times that of ordinary refractory materials. It can effectively help you save costs.
Blast furnace lining
Smelting crucible
Refractory bricks
Annealing furnace parts
High temperature furnace tubes
Kiln components
Roller kiln accessories
Sintering furnace parts
Automotive parts
Many properties of silicon carbide meet the needs of modern automobiles and are widely used as important automotive parts. Using silicon carbide as a part can increase its life by about 50%.
Brake pad material
Brake disc coating
Clutch plate
Mechanical seals
Bearing materials
Piston rings
Gear coating
Gearbox components
Jewelry and decorative uses
You may not think that silicon carbide can also be made into artificial gemstones as a substitute for diamonds. Its price is only 1/10 of that of diamonds, but its hardness is close to that of diamonds. It is a cheap substitute for diamonds in some applications.
Moissanite jewelry
Cutting and processing
Surface treatment
Watch faces
Jewelry inlays
Artwork production
Advanced technology applications
In addition to traditional industries, silicon carbide can also be used in some advanced technology fields, such as the semiconductor industry, electric vehicles, military aerospace, etc. Silicon carbide is developing rapidly in these industries, with an annual market growth rate of more than 35%. Does your industry also benefit from silicon carbide technology? Below we will give you a detailed introduction to the applications and advantages of silicon carbide in these industries.
Did you know? Silicon carbide is quietly changing the entire semiconductor industry。
Power electronics — a new generation of power devices:
Breakdown voltage exceeds 10kV
Conduction loss reduced by 50%
Switching frequency increased by 10 times
Small reverse leakage current
Fast switching speed
Good temperature stability
Volume reduced by 300%
Efficiency increased by 30%
Excellent heat dissipation performance
High temperature electronics — the best choice for extreme environments:
Engine control systems
Flight controllers
Sensor modules
Deep well drilling equipment
High temperature sensors
Industrial furnace control, the operating temperature can reach 400℃, and its life span is 3 times that of traditional devices.
Power conversion system — effectively improve the performance of electric vehicles:
Efficiency increased to 99%
Volume reduced by 60%
Weight reduced by 50%
Power density doubled
Heat generation reduced by half
Reliability improved
Charging speed increased by 40%
Miniaturized design
Heat dissipation optimized
Battery management — intelligent management system:
Overcharge protection
Over discharge protection
Temperature monitoring
Balanced charging
Efficiency improvement
Life extension
Solar inverter — the core of photovoltaic power generation:
Conversion efficiency 99%
Volume reduction 50%
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Optimized heat dissipation performance
Improved stability
Reduced maintenance costs
Extended service life
Wind power generation — high power application:
Increased power density
Enhanced reliability
Optimized efficiency
Good grid adaptability
Low harmonic content
High control accuracy
Armor Systems — A new generation of protection:
40% lighter
Improved protection
Cost-effective
Multi-layer protection
Strong impact resistance
Easy maintenance
As an excellent advanced material, silicon carbide has shown great potential and value in more and more fields. Whether from 5G to new energy, or from environmental protection goals to manufacturing process innovation, silicon carbide is ushering in a golden period of development in modern times. We will analyze and discuss its future development prospects and market trends for you from multiple dimensions.
Silicon carbide is constantly exploring new applications in emerging fields, and its various advantages are recognized by many high-tech fields. According to market research institutions, by , the size of the silicon carbide-related market will exceed US$5 billion. If the opportunity is seized, it will become a key driving force for many industries.
6G communication equipment:
Silicon carbide’s high frequency and high power performance are very suitable for 6G base station core components. It is one of the ideal materials and can bring higher speeds and lower latency.
Smart grid:
In power electronics applications, silicon carbide devices effectively reduce energy loss and improve the efficiency and stability of power systems, which greatly promotes the popularization of smart grids.
Quantum computing:
SiC crystals are expected to become a hot research material in the field of quantum computing because of their extraordinary potential in applications in quantum dots and spin qubits.
Silicon carbide is showing an unprecedented strong growth trend in the market. The following is the data we have collected for your reference:
The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 35%: Demand is surging, especially in areas such as power electronics, automobiles and new energy.
Electric vehicle market: Silicon carbide devices can provide significant energy efficiency and endurance for electric vehicles, and its market share is predicted to double in the next five years.
Demand for new energy: With the development of new energy, the demand for high-efficiency power conversion devices in wind and solar power generation equipment is increasing, which has promoted the popularization of silicon carbide, brought opportunities to investors, and further established the position of silicon carbide materials in emerging technologies.
Innovation is the core driving force for the development of silicon carbide. Global research and development continues to increase, especially in the following aspects:
Emerging manufacturing processes: such as low-cost large-scale single-crystal silicon carbide growth technology, which can promote the large-scale application of silicon carbide materials.
Improved material performance: Nanostructure optimization and doping process improvements can further enhance the stability of silicon carbide in extreme environments such as high temperature and high pressure.
Costs continue to decline: With the continuous advancement of production technology, the manufacturing cost of silicon carbide is decreasing year by year, which provides a solid foundation for more extensive commercial applications.
Silicon carbide is a relatively green material and is of great significance to the global green development. If you are an environmentalist, the following data is what you want to see:
Reduce energy loss by 30%: Compared with traditional silicon-based materials, some devices made of silicon carbide have greater advantages in energy conversion efficiency.
Reduce carbon emissions by 40%: Silicon carbide reduces a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions through its application in electric vehicles, smart grids and other fields.
Improve resource utilization: The high efficiency of silicon carbide can improve the unit resource utilization of equipment and save costs, which also makes silicon carbide an important driving force for the global carbon neutrality goal.
Silicon carbide not only has excellent technical performance, but also has a significant effect on economic benefits. This is the experience gained by a company after using silicon carbide devices:
Equipment life is extended by 50%: The durability of silicon carbide greatly reduces the frequency of equipment replacement.
Operation cost is reduced by 25%: Due to the reduction of energy loss and the improvement of efficiency, the overall operation cost of the equipment is reduced.
Silicon carbide materials not only have excellent technical performance, but also have significant economic benefits.
System efficiency is improved by 35%: Whether it is power transmission or industrial automation, silicon carbide materials can significantly improve the efficiency of the system.
In order to help you choose the most suitable silicon carbide products for your industry, we have prepared the following comprehensive purchasing quality for you, from selection standards to quality certification, to help you choose the most suitable product for yourself.
When purchasing silicon carbide products, you can focus on the following core standards.
Purity grade requirements:
High purity (>99%), suitable for high-tech fields such as semiconductors and electronics.
Medium and low purity, mainly used in industrial applications such as refractory materials and abrasives.
Working temperature range:
You need to choose the most suitable high temperature resistant silicon carbide product according to your specific application.
Industrial heating equipment needs to withstand temperatures up to ℃.
Automobiles and electronic equipment need the stability of frequent switching between high temperature and normal temperature.
Application scenario matching:
You also need to choose the material form of silicon carbide according to the specific application scenario, for example:
Abrasive: granular silicon carbide.
Refractory material: block or brick-shaped silicon carbide ceramics.
Semiconductor: high-purity single crystal silicon carbide.
High-quality silicon carbide products must comply with the following industry standard certifications, which you can refer to:
ISO certification: indicates that the supplier has a quality management system to ensure that the production process is controllable.
Automotive AEC-Q101: ensures the reliability of silicon carbide products in the automotive field. This standard is suitable for electric vehicles and other high-demand environments.
Material specification standards: such as ASTM standards or internal company standards to ensure that silicon carbide performance meets expectations.
Cost price is one of the issues that consumers are most concerned about. As a decision maker, you need to not only pay attention to the initial price of the product, but also consider the following factors:
Initial purchase cost:
Choose the appropriate product grade according to your budget (e.g. high-purity silicon carbide is more expensive, if you only have ordinary applications, you can use medium-purity silicon carbide with a higher cost-effectiveness)
Life cycle:
High-quality silicon carbide will have a longer service life, which can effectively reduce the frequency of your replacement.
Using products with long lifespans reduces your costs to a certain extent.
Maintenance costs:
Silicon carbide may wear to varying degrees after long-term use. If you choose silicon carbide products with good wear resistance, you can significantly reduce maintenance costs.
High-quality silicon carbide products have better stability under high temperature and high pressure conditions, which can reduce unexpected losses.
After reading this article, you will have a good understanding of silicon carbide, from its performance to its uses to how to buy it. I hope this comprehensive guide can help you.
1. Which Is Harder: Silicon Carbide or Aluminum Oxide?
Silicon carbide is harder, with a Mohs hardness of 9.5, while aluminum oxide has a Mohs hardness of 9.0. However, silicon carbide is more expensive, and aluminum oxide is the first choice for some grinding applications with low hardness.
Recommended articles for you to learn more: Silicon carbide VS aluminum oxide
2. What Materials Can Silicon Carbide Sandpaper Sand?
Silicon carbide sandpaper is suitable for a wide range of materials:
Hard materials: glass, stone, ceramics, alloys
Non-ferrous metals: aluminum, brass, copper
Modern composite materials: fiberglass, carbon fiber
Finishing between coatings: paint, varnish
3. How Conductive Is Silicon Carbide?
The conductivity of silicon carbide changes with doping and temperature:
Intrinsic conductivity: semi-insulating
N-type doping: 600-800 S/cm
P-type doping: 300-500 S/cm
Temperature coefficient: positive (conductivity increases with increasing temperature)
4. What Is The Melting Point of Silicon Carbide?
Silicon carbide does not melt, but it decomposes:
Decomposition temperature: °C (°F)
Sublimation temperature: °C (°F)
Using limit temperature: °C (°F)
5. What Is The Density of Silicon Carbide Crystal?
Pure SiC: 3.21 g/cm³
Commercial grade: 3.10-3.25 g/cm³
Sintered SiC: 2.98-3.15 g/cm³
Lower density can be preferred for lightweight applications
6. What Are The Common Uses of Silicon Carbide in Daily Life?
Silicon carbide is used in daily life in the following ways:
Kitchen: non-stick cookware coating
Automotive: brake pads and clutch plates
Home maintenance: sandpaper and grinding wheels
Electronics: smartphones and LED lighting
Jewelry: moissanite gemstones
7. What Is The Difference Between Silicon Carbide and Carbide?
The main differences between silicon carbide and other carbides are as follows:
Silicon carbide (SiC): a specific compound of silicon and carbon
Carbide: a general term for any carbon compound containing a less electronegative element
Tungsten carbide, titanium carbide and silicon carbide are all different types of carbides, each of which has unique properties and applications
8. How Much Does Silicon Carbide Cost?
We will provide you with the current market price reference in :
Wafer: $500- per 6-inch wafer
Power device: 3-5 times silicon equivalent
Abrasive grade: $2-5 per pound
High purity powder: $100-300 per kilogram, the price may change according to the quality and quantity you choose
9. What Is The Manufacturing Process For Silicon Carbide Wafers?
The key production steps are as follows:
Crystal growth: modified Lely method or CVD
Wafer cutting: diamond wire saw
Surface treatment: grinding and polishing
Quality control: X-ray analysis and defect inspection. This production cycle usually takes 2-3 weeks.
10. What Are The Advantages of Silicon Carbide Semiconductors?
Compared with traditional semiconductors, the main advantages of silicon carbide are as follows:
Higher operating temperature than traditional semiconductors, up to 400°C
10 times higher breakdown voltage
3 times higher band gap
Lower switching losses
Better thermal conductivity
11. What Are The Applications of Silicon Carbide Fibers?
Silicon carbide fibers can be used in a variety of applications:
Aerospace composites: engine components
Nuclear applications: fuel rod cladding
High temperature filters: industrial processes
Thermal protection: heat shields
Structural reinforcement: advanced ceramics
12. How To Identify The Quality of Silicon Carbide?
The quality indicators of silicon carbide are as follows:
Color: The darker the color of silicon carbide, the higher the impurity content
Crystal structure: single crystal and polycrystalline
Electrical properties: resistivity measurement
Purity level: semiconductor grade is 99.%
Surface defects: visual inspection under a microscope
13. What Is The Thermal Conductivity of Silicon Carbide?
The thermal conductivity of high-purity silicon carbide is 120-270 W/mK.
Silicon carbide (SiC) is a new wide-bandgap (WBG) material that is coming to the fore, especially in challenging applications. However, as it is new (and despite significant information being available online) there are many myths preventing designers from using the technology to its full potential.
Some think that gallium nitride (GaN) is the preferred alternative to silicon MOSFETs, and SiC is purely an IGBT replacement. However, SiC has an excellent RDS(ON)*Qg figure-of-merit (FoM) and low reverse recovery charge (Qrr) making it an excellent choice in hard switching apps such as Totem Pole PFC or a synchronous boost.
Compared to IGBTs, SiC MOSFETs have better avalanche ruggedness and in the event of a short circuit, when used with an appropriate gate driver, SiC can be at least as rugged as IGBTs.
The extensive use in electric vehicle (EV) traction applications that operate at 10-20kHz might lead some to believe that SiC is a low-frequency technology. However, reductions in the die area resulting in lower gate charge (Qg) mean that SiC devices are used successfully in Totem-Pole PFC (TPPFC) at 100 kHz and soft-switching LLC at 200-300 kHz.
Clearly, driving a SiC device does require a different approach to silicon. The need for a negative turn-off gate voltage is not wholly true, in some applications with good layout practices, it has been shown to be not necessary. However, to be sure to eliminate inadvertent turn-on due to “bouncing,” using a negative gate drive is considered by many to be good design practice.
SiC gate drivers are available and simple to use. The perception that they are complex probably arose from engineers trying to drive SiC devices with Si MOSFET or IGBT drivers. Dedicated SiC drivers offer convenient features such as negative gate drive, Desaturation (DESAT), Over Current Protection (OCP), Over-Temperature Protection(OTP) and other protections. When using the right driver, driving SiC is as easy as driving a silicon MOSFET.
Often, SiC is considered expensive and if a highly simplistic device-to-device comparison is made, comparing a silicon MOSFET to an equivalent SiC device, then there will be a small price premium for the SiC device. However, the enhanced performance of SiC devices drives significant cost savings elsewhere in designs that more than offset this small premium.
If we consider a generic silicon-based 30 kW power solution, then we find that 90% of the overall cost relates to the inductors and capacitors (60% and 30% respectively), with the semiconductor devices representing only 10% of the overall BOM cost. Replacing the silicon MOSFETs with SiC switches allows capacitance and inductance to be reduced by 75%, bringing a substantial size and cost reduction, far outweighing any cost premium for the SiC devices.
The following graphic shows at a high level how higher SiC enables higher breakdown voltage devices with excellent Rds(on)*Qg characteristics allows simpler topologies to run at higher frequency thereby enabling cost and size reduction.
Additionally, as SiC operates more efficiently, heatsinks are significantly reduced (or eliminated) giving a further size and cost reduction. As a result, the total BOM cost of a SiC design has reached a point where it is more favorable than the equivalent silicon approach.
While SiC remains a relatively new technology, its ecosystem has developed rapidly as SiC becomes mainstream. Suppliers offer many SiC devices and associated gate drivers, in various packages to suit many applications, along with reference designs, application notes, and simulation models/tools. onsemi offers a powerful suite of online modeling and simulation tools. The online Self-Service PLECS Model Generator allows users to generate a high-fidelity PLECS model of their custom circuitry. This model is then uploaded into the Elite Power Simulator where onsemi’s power products can be introduced to showcase system performance including effects of semiconductor process corners. This virtual environment enables system designers to rapidly iterate toward optimized solutions before committing to hardware, thereby significantly reducing the time to market.
The supply chain is also evolving - following onsemi’s recent acquisition of GT Advanced Technologies (GTAT), the only large-scale supplier with end-to-end supply capability, which includes volume SiC boule growth, substrate, epitaxy, device fabrication, best-in-class integrated modules and discrete package solutions (Learn more about End-to-End SiC Manufacturing Capabilities and EliteSiC Family Solutions Advance a Sustainable Future).
onsemi will rapidly grow the capacity of substrate operations fivefold and make substantial investments in expanding the company’s device and module capacity, quadrupling by , with the capability to double capacity again in the future.
While many myths persist, asking the right questions and dispelling these myths will allow designers to realize the full potential of this new material.
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