Advances in silicon carbide (SiC) device processing and substrate fabrication for high power microwave and high temperature electronics

High-power density, temperature tolerant silicon carbide (SiC) electronics offer an exceptional opportunity to increase the performance and lower the cost of many existing and emerging military and commercial products. Surveillance and tactical radar systems, compact electric tank and aircraft engine controls, high reliability aviation electronics, and radiation resistance satellite components are some examples. Recent technology advances have brought this potential payoff closer to reality. These include the fabrication of a record-setting MESFET device with 12 dB gain at 2 GHz and 2 W/mm of power at 1 GHz and the world's first 2-inch diameter high-resistivity SiC wafers for planar devices and low resistivity substrates for power devices. Vertical transistor structures have also been fabricated using both Schottky barrier and MOS gates.< >