Planarization of 6-Inch 4H-SiC Wafer Using Catalyst-Referred Etching

Catalyst-referred etching (CARE) is a planarization method based on the chemical etching reaction, which does not need abrasives. In this paper, CARE was applied to the planarization of 6-inch silicon carbide (SiC) wafers, and removal properties were investigated. The etching rate was about 20nm/h, which is almost equal to that of 2-inch SiC wafer (16 nm/h). The rms roughness was reduced along with the removal depth, and step-terrace structure was observed in whole area of the on-axis wafer surface.