Surface Modification of Silicon Carbide Wafers Using Atmospheric Plasma Etching: Effects of Processing Parameters

Silicon carbide wafer serves as an ideal substrate material for manufacturing semiconductor devices, holding immense potential for the future. However, its ultra-hardness and remarkable chemical inertness pose significant challenges for the surface processing of wafers, and a highly efficient and damage-free method is required to meet the processing requirements. In this study, atmospheric plasma processing was used to conduct point-residence experiments on silicon carbide wafers by varying process parameters such as Ar, CF₄, and O₂ flow rate, as well as processing power and the distance between the plasma torch and the workpiece. We investigate the effects of these on the surface processing function of atmospheric plasma etching and technique for surface modification of silicon carbide wafers, evaluating the material removal rates. Then, according to the experimentally derived influence law, suitable parameter ranges were selected, and orthogonal experiments were designed to determine the optimal processing parameters that would enable rapid and uniform removal of the wafer surface. The results indicate that the volume removal rate of the plasma on the silicon carbide wafer achieves its maximum when the input power is 550 W, the processing distance between the plasma torch and workpiece is 3.5 mm, and when the Ar, CF₄, and O₂ flow rates are 15 SLM, 70 SCCM, and 20 SCCM, respectively.