SiC VOLUMETRIC SHAPES AND METHODS OF FORMING BOULES

#The present inventions relate to methods for making Silicon Carbide (SiC) and SiC compositions, structures, components, materials and apparatus for making these items; methods for making Silicon Carbide (SiC) and SiOC compositions, structures, components, materials and apparatus for making these items; and in particular, to SiC volumetric shapes, the use of these volumetric shapes to form boules in vapor deposition processes, and related methods.

#Polysilocarb materials and methods of making those materials are disclosed and taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,815,952 and 9,815,943 and US Patent Publication No. 2015/0175750, the entire disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

#As used herein, unless specified otherwise, “Vapor Deposition” (VD), “vapor deposition technology”, vapor deposition process and similar such terms are to be given their broadest meaning, and would include for example processes where a solid or liquid starting material is transformed into a gas or vapor state, and then the gas or vapor is deposited to form, e.g., grow, a solid material. As used herein vapor deposition technology would include growth by epitaxy, where the layer is provided from a vapor or gaseous phase. Further types of vapor deposition technology include: Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD); Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), plasma enhanced CVD, Physical Vapor Transport (PVT) and others. Examples of vapor deposition devices would include a hot wall reactor, a multiwafer reactor, a chimney reactor, an RF furnace, and a boule growth furnace.

#FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a volumetric shape in accordance with the present inventions (6 inch diameter, flat top and bottom).

#FIG. 1B is a top perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A.

#FIG. 1C is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A.

#To the extent that a ruler it shown in a figure it is to provide scale for the embodiment of that figure and the features of that embodiment. The scale is used for illustrate purposes and does not limit or restrict embodiments to other sizes, shapes and proportions.

#In general, the present inventions relate to volumetric shapes of Silicon Carbide (SiC) particles; and growing structures from these volumetric shapes. In embodiments, the particles, as well as, the volumetric shapes have good, high, and ultra high purity. The present inventions further relate to apparatus and methods for using these volumetric shapes of SiC particles in vapor deposition technologies to form SiC boules, which boules, for example, are used to make wafers and devices for electronics applications.

#Although this specification focusses on SiC vapor deposition technologies, it should be understood that the present inventions are not so limited, and can find applicability in other SiC crystalline growth processes, joining processes, as well as other applications.