InTech, 2011, —546pSilicon carbide (SiC) is an interesting material that has found application in a variety of industries. The two best known applications of this material are its use as an abrasive material and its more recent use as a wide band gap semiconductor for high power, high temperature electronic devices. The high hardness of this material, known for many years, led to its use in machining tools and in other structural applications. Usage of SiC in semiconductor devices only became possible in the last twenty years, when commercially available SiC single crystals became available. Thin films and nanoparticles of SiC are still rare, but monolithic SiC and composites containing SiC have been available much longer. One of the challenges of working with this material is that it can crystallize into many different polymorphs, the most common being the 3C (β-SiC), and the hexagonal (α-SiC): 2H, 4H and 6H phases. Because of its high melting point, achieving reasonable bulk densities in polycrystalline materials is difficult. In addition, the semiconducting material forms Schottky barriers with most metals, while the formation of its native oxide, SiO2, can pose additional issues when used in oxidizing atmospheres. However, the scientific community has shown ingenuity in turning some of the pitfalls into decided advantages for a variety of applications.
In this book, we explore an eclectic mix of articles that highlight some new potential applications of SiC and different ways to achieve specific properties. Some articles describe well-established processing methods, while others highlight phase equilibria or machining methods. A resurgence of interest in the structural arena is evident, while new ways to utilize the interesting electromagnetic properties of SiC continue to increase. The reader is encouraged to explore the vast literature in this field, ranging from 40,000 up to 150,000 articles depending on which database one chooses to search in, but several gems may be found among the chapters in this book.
The articles have been grouped according to the following three categories:
Part A: Thin Films and Electromagnetic Applications.
Part B: Other Applications: Electrical, Structural and Biomedical.
Part C: Bulk Processing Methods, Phase Stability and Machining.
