Planarization of 6 inch 4H-SiC wafer by using Catalyst-referred etching

Abstract. Catalyst-referred etching (CARE) is a planarization method based on chemical etching that does not require 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 20 nm/h, which is almost equal to that of a 2-inch SiC wafer (16 nm/h). The rms roughness was reduced with increasing removal depth, and a step-terrace structure was observed in the entire area of the on-axis wafer surface.