Marie Curie Actions
Project funded by the EC within the 6th Framework Programme
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mansic in a nutshell
 
Objectives
The aim of MANSiC project is to promote and structure a multidisciplinary training network for young researchers based on the challenging and promising development of 3C-SiC technology.
Indeed, this cubic polytype of SiC was for long set apart due to the lack of adequate substrate so that the heteroepitaxial layers were far from device quality. Despite the recent availability ofcommercial 3C-SiC crystals, originally grown on Si, the defect density is still too high so that the blocking performances are far below the industrial needs. Using hexagonal SiC substrate, the cubic layers usually contain device killer defects. Recently, new growth techniques are being developed in Europe with very promising results since these defects can be completely eliminated. There is no real competitor on the international level using similar techniques which means that Europe is in advance on this specific subject and has a major role to play.
A joint effort on the growth of 3C-SiC on hexagonal substrate in the framework of MANSiC project would surely allow developing an alternative and European commercial source of this polytype with better crystalline quality than the actual commercial product. Such improved material would be first characterized and tested (from surface polishing to device fabrication) by the proposed MANSiC consortium with the aim of fabricating power devices such as VDMOSFET or MESFET.
Such a complex and interrelated research project is an excellent base to assemble a training project for young researchers in the field of solid state physics and materials science. PhD students and young researchers will be trained in the various fields : from new growth techniques, to wide band-gap material characterization and fabrication of power devices. Workshops and training schools will be organized to provide the young researchers with the essential scientific knowledge background and to give them the opportunity to present their work and results to the scientific community.
 
Partnerships
The Consortium is composed of 11 scientific partners (including 2 middle size companies) plus a managing/financial partner. The scientific partners were chosen for their recognized expertise in the field of SiC material and/or specific related techniques. The consortium is is divided in 3 technical work-packages:
• WP1 (Material growth and related aspects) is dedicated to the fabrication of high quality 3C-SiC thin layers and bulk material;
• WP2 (Material characterization) is in charge of determining the crystalline, optical and electronic properties of the grown material;
• WP3 (New devices and demonstrators group) is in charge of the electrical testing and fabrication of devices from these grown crystals.
In addition to the close collaboration within each work-package, each group will interact in order to share their experience and results from their particular techniques. WP2 has a central position and will make the important link between the two other groups by giving fast feedback of their analysis. This close and multidiciplinary collaboration will be facilitated by the already existing links between several partners thanks to the previous European programs FLASiC and SOLSiC.
 
Applications
The use of 3C-SiC grown on hexagonal SiC should bring an improvement of the material quality and a reduction of the defects density and, consequently, the possibility to integrate large area devices; thus, gathering the low on-resistance already demonstrated together with a high breakdown voltage capability and a higher reliability. The industrial motor drive and automotive applications for power VDMOSFET devices would like to see blocking capabilities of 300V-1200V. Also, the use of a thin 3C-SiC layer on 6H-SiC substrate for VDMOS fabrication could be also highly innovative since the 3C-SiC top layer would allow a high channel electron mobility combined with the higher breakdown voltage capability of 6H-SiC due to its higher critical electric field in comparison with the 3C-material.
In addition, the use of high quality 6H-SiC wafers as substrates for depositing 3C-SiC layers could permit the integration of several types of lateral devices such as power diodes, lateral MOSFETs, lateral MESFETs, taking advantage of the superior material properties of 3C-SiC as active layer of the device. The main innovation comes from the use of the hetero-junction properties of a 3C-SiC on 6H-SiC staking. It has been shown furthermore that the 3C-SiC/6H-SiC hetero-junction has a similar band configuration as GaAs/AlGaAs. Consequently, we can contemplate the possibility to create a 2D electron gas at the 3C-SiC/6H-SiC junction, allowing the fabrication of high performance High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT).
These SiC transistors could eventually show a very low on-resistance together with a high thermal dissipation capability (unlike GaN transistors). We can then contemplate higher current/power capability on the switches both in the low (power electronics) and high (RF) frequency application ranges. There is today a strong demand of low and medium voltage (from 20V up to 300V) high current power switches for telecommunication, automotive and aerospace applications. For these last two, high temperature operation is also required. In addition, for aerospace, radiation hard capability is needed.
Another possibility is to fabricate innovative large area solar blind UV detectors. Since 6H and 3C polytypes have different bandgaps, solar blind sensing detectors at different wave-length can be fabricated. So, in a single chip a spectroscopic UV detector can be obtained, without the use of any filter. Such device to date does not exist and it can be used in many medical portable applications, flame detectors, astronomical observation from satellite and health care monitoring during UV irradiation for human application.
 
Training aspects
Altogether, 19 young researchers (10 early stage researchers 9 experience researchers) will benefit from the transfer of knowledge and from a well defined shared training between all partners, through the cognitive apprenticeship methodology. Each recruited researcher will have an official tutor at the main host partner. In addition to the daily exchanges with their tutors and co-workers, the young researchers will present once a month an update of their results as a base for scientific discussion with their tutors. The student will then have to write a short summary of this discussion and the resulting conclusions. For the share training, an official tutor will be also defined at the second partner place, and this definition will be done at the beginning of the period of recruitment.
In addition, each young researcher will have the opportunity to attend several specially organised international events, i.e workshops and Training Schools. This will provide them with the necessary ‘bulk’ scientific background, appropriate to homogenize their basic knowledge and promote further improvement in more specialized learning. The young researchers will be asked to actively participate to the various aspects of the organization of these joint activities whenever the host institute is involved. This should complete their scientific training with organizational and management issues. They will also participate to non MANSiC events such as international conferences related to SiC since two of the consortium partners have already been designated to organize these conferences during the period of MANSiC.
A “live” website will be implemented in order to act as a forum for open discussion among the partners, in addition to all the informative, time scheduling and result dissemination aspects of such a tool. Finally, the cultural and multi-cultural exchange is also considered very important in the training.