• CN: 11-2187/TH
  • ISSN: 0577-6686

Journal of Mechanical Engineering ›› 2021, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (9): 213-232.doi: 10.3901/JME.2021.09.213

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Recent Advance in Preparation and Ultra-precision Machining of New Generation Semiconductor Material of β-Ga2O3 Single Crystals

GAO Shang, LI Honggang, KANG Renke, HE Yiwei, ZHU Xianglong   

  1. Key Laboratory for Precision and Non-traditional Machining Technology of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024
  • Received:2020-06-17 Revised:2020-11-25 Online:2021-05-05 Published:2021-06-15

Abstract: Gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) is recognized to be the next generation semiconductor material after silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), and can be used for making high-performance semiconductor devices, including ultra-high voltage power devices, deep ultraviolet optoelectronic devices and high-brightness LED, etc. However, the grown methods of β-Ga2O3 ingots with large-size and defect-free and the ultra-precision machining technologies of β-Ga2O3 wafers with high surface integrity are one of the bottleneck problems for the mass production of β-Ga2O3 based semiconductor devices for increasing applications in electronics industries. For the preparation methods of β-Ga2O3 single crystals easily generated crystal defects during growth, the recent advances in β-Ga2O3 ingot growth methods including Verneuil method, Czochralski method, optical floating zone method, edge-defined film-fed growth method, and Bridgman growth method are review. The five growth methods are also compared in terms of growth rate, crystal size and crystallographic defects, and the future direction of preparation method of β-Ga2O3 monocrystals with lager size and fewer defects is given. For the ultra-precision machining technologies of difficult-to-machine β-Ga2O3 wafers due to its characteristics of high hardness, high brittleness, strong anisotropy and easy cleavage, the recent developments in material removal mechanism and subsurface damage characteristics of β-Ga2O3 wafer during machining and its machining processes including grinding, lapping and polishing are presented. The fracture characteristic and mechanism β-Ga2O3 wafer during machining is analyzed. The limitations of loose abrasive lapping being employed for machining β-Ga2O3 wafers are reviewed, and the further trend of machining technology of β-Ga2O3 wafers with lager size and high surface integrity is given. The analysis shows that edge-defined film-fed growth method is the most appropriate method for mass production of lager size and high quality β-Ga2O3 single crystals, but some questions, such as the selection and control of growth atmosphere, formation mechanism and suppression of crystallographic defects, and P-type doping method of β-Ga2O3 single crystals, should be systematically investigated and answered in future work. Diamond grinding using workpiece rotational face-grinding mode is the best method for cost-effective machining large size β-Ga2O3 wafers to achieve high surface integrity, however, future works including the critical grinding conditions of ductile removal and effective removal, grinding wheel and process parameters selection method constrained by surface quality and machining efficiency should be done for providing theoretical guidance for the ultra-precision grinding of β-Ga2O3 wafers.

Key words: semiconductor material, β-Ga2O3 single crystal, crystal growth, ultra-precision machining

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