Material removal characteristic of single abrasive scratching 4H–SiC crystal with different crystal surface

Silicon carbide (SiC) crystal is a third-generation semiconductor material, which is widely used in the fields of radio frequency components, aerospace, new energy vehicles, etc. The anisotropy of 4H–SiC leads to differences in material removal characteristics of different crystal surfaces, which influences the design of process parameters for SiC crystal polishing. A model of single abrasive scratching 4H–SiC crystal was established using molecular dynamics. The effect of scratching speed and depth on the material removal characteristics and the wafer surface morphology was investigated when a single abrasive scratches the C surface and Si surface. Scratching experiments were conducted to verify the model by measuring scratch cross-sectional area, scratch profile, and surface roughness. The simulation results reveal that compared to the Si surface, the distribution range of high hydrostatic stress of the C surface is less, resulting in fewer amorphous atoms and easier dislocation, which means the C surface is more favorable for getting plastic removal and obtaining better surface quality. The experiment data suggested that the C surface has a smaller surface roughness and a friction coefficient, and the cross-sectional area of the scratch is larger than that of the Si surface. Under low-speed conditions, the influence of anisotropy is more pronounced. Consistent with the simulation result, the material removal characteristics of the C surface are better than those of the Si surface when single abrasive scratching 4H–SiC crystal.