Silicon carbide (SiC) is an advanced ceramic material renowned for its high hardness, excellent thermal conductivity, and outstanding chemical stability. Due to its exceptional mechanical and thermal properties, SiC components play an irreplaceable role in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. SiC components, composed primarily of silicon carbide or its composites, can maintain stable performance under extreme conditions, making them suitable for processes such as wafer epitaxy, etching, oxidation, diffusion, and annealing.

Crystal Structures and Material Types

SiC exhibits a variety of crystal structures, with 3C, 4H, and 6H polytypes being the most common. The 3C-SiC, also referred to as β-SiC, is valued for its high uniformity and excellent adhesion, making it a preferred material for thin films and coatings. β-SiC coatings are widely applied on graphite bases and other supporting components, providing durable surface protection in semiconductor equipment. Different SiC polytypes serve different purposes: 4H and 6H-SiC are primarily used for high-power electronic substrates, while 3C-SiC excels in thin film and corrosion-resistant coating applications.

Fabrication Methods of SiC Components

SiC components can be produced through various methods, including chemical vapor deposition (CVD), reaction-bonded sintering, recrystallized sintering, pressureless sintering, hot pressing, and hot isostatic pressing. Each fabrication method results in differences in density, uniformity, and mechanical performance, allowing components to be optimized for specific semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Chemical Vapor Deposition SiC Components

CVD SiC components are widely used in etching equipment, MOCVD systems, SiC epitaxy tools, and rapid thermal processing equipment. In etching systems, CVD SiC components include focus rings, gas shower heads, wafer carriers, and edge rings. Due to its chemical inertness toward chlorine- and fluorine-containing etching gases and its favorable electrical conductivity, CVD SiC is an ideal material for key components in plasma etching systems.

In MOCVD equipment, graphite bases are often coated with dense CVD SiC layers using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. These coatings are highly uniform and have controllable thickness, providing reliable support and heating for single-crystal substrates. Optimized CVD SiC ensures stable operation under high temperatures, corrosive gases, and plasma exposure, while its superior thermal conductivity and mechanical properties help prevent thermal fatigue and chemical degradation of critical components.

Reaction-Bonded SiC Components

Reaction-bonded or reaction-sintered SiC is produced at relatively low sintering temperatures, resulting in minimal shrinkage (typically less than 1%). This characteristic allows the fabrication of large and complex components, making it highly suitable for optical and precision structural applications. In semiconductor lithography equipment, high-performance optical components such as mirrors often require reaction-bonded SiC substrates combined with CVD SiC coatings to achieve large-area, uniform, and high-precision reflective surfaces.

During fabrication, key process parameters such as precursor composition, deposition temperature, gas flow, and pressure are carefully optimized to produce lightweight, high-precision, and complex-shaped optical elements. Reaction-bonded SiC components are not only used in optics but also provide critical structural support and thermal management, demonstrating exceptional strength, low thermal expansion, and chemical resistance under harsh semiconductor manufacturing conditions.

Market and Technological Development

The global market for SiC components has been growing rapidly, yet domestic production rates remain relatively low due to the complexity of producing high-performance CVD and reaction-bonded SiC parts. Manufacturing these components requires precise process control and advanced equipment, making the technology challenging to master. Currently, high-end semiconductor equipment largely relies on internationally developed precision ceramic components, while domestic research and applications are still catching up.

Looking forward, SiC components will continue to serve as the core structural backbone of semiconductor equipment. Advancements in material uniformity, coating quality, and large-size, lightweight structural fabrication will directly enhance the precision and reliability of semiconductor manufacturing. High-performance SiC, capable of withstanding extreme environments, is not only a critical “core power” of semiconductor equipment but also a key enabler for high-precision and high-reliability semiconductor production.