How to reduce the "damage rate" during the packaging process of third-generation semiconductor materials

国奥科技

How to reduce the "damage rate" during the packaging process of third-generation semiconductor materials [Copy link]

Semiconductor packaging is a very complex process that supports a huge global industrial chain. Each link in this chain has detailed division of labor and strict requirements. There are also many packaging forms and packaging technologies, and they are constantly iterating.

Generally speaking, packaging technology is the technology of packaging integrated circuits with insulating plastic or ceramic materials.

Integrated circuits are microstructures formed by integrating semiconductors, resistors, capacitors and other components and wiring required for circuits with certain functions on a small piece of silicon wafer and then encapsulating them in a tube shell. Most of the applications in today's semiconductor industry are based on integrated circuits of silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge), which are what we call the first generation of semiconductor materials.

With the continuous upgrading of terminal market demand, semiconductor materials have now developed to the third generation, and the fourth generation is also under research. Although it has not yet been widely used, it has a positive guiding role in the development of the downstream industrial chain.

Characteristics and applications of third generation semiconductor materials

Silicon (Si) among the first-generation semiconductor materials is still the most mainstream semiconductor material on the market, with the most mature process technology and the lowest cost; the second-generation semiconductor materials are mainly used in radio frequency, communications and lighting industries, and have a relatively small market share.

The third generation of semiconductor materials has the characteristics of wide bandgap, high thermal conductivity, high luminous efficiency, high electron density, high mobility, high saturated electron velocity, etc. The breakdown electric field strength of SiC is one order of magnitude higher than that of Si, and the saturated electron drift velocity is 2.5 times that of Si.

Therefore, the third-generation semiconductor materials are more suitable for the production of high-temperature, high-frequency, radiation-resistant and high-power electronic devices, and have great potential in 5G base stations, fast charging, smart grids, new energy vehicles, semiconductor lasers and other fields.

Difficulties in the application of third-generation semiconductor materials

1. High cost SiC is very expensive. The price of a single die of a SiC device of the same specification is 3-5 times higher than that of a silicon device. Although the size of SiC on the wafer can be very small, which can reduce the cost on average, it is still more expensive overall.

Since GaN can be processed on 6-inch or even 8-inch Si substrates at a relatively lower cost, GaN is still the mainstream material for third-generation semiconductors.

2. Fragile

SiC is a natural superlattice that is very fragile and relatively difficult to prepare. Although the current SiC substrate manufacturing technology has reached the 8-inch level, it is still a challenge to break through the production of larger sizes and improve the production yield.

In the chip manufacturing process, fragile materials are called "fragments", which are mainly caused by unstable processes, unqualified materials, poor manufacturing tools, etc. We cannot change the fragility of third-generation semiconductor materials themselves. Only by improving the technical level and the flexibility of equipment can we better avoid "fragments", improve production yields, and promote the widespread application of third-generation semiconductor materials.