Application of the Fenton reaction in silicon carbide polishing and its oxidative active center

Abstract

The Fenton reaction is known for generating highly reactive hydroxyl radicals that are applied to accelerate the polishing removal rate of chemically inert SiC substrates. However, previous research primarily focuses on the polishing removal rate acceleration on the C surfaces of SiC substrates, and very limited studies have been conducted to investigate whether the hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton reaction serve as the primary agents of oxidative activity. Furthermore, the oxidation ability of hydroxyl radicals on the C surface and its relationship with their concentration are still not well-established. Therefore, more extensive research is needed to gain comprehensive understanding on the role of hydroxyl radicals in the oxidative activity on the C surface and their concentration-dependent effects. In this study, the polishing results of alumina, cerium oxide, and silica containing polishing slurries with and without Fenton reaction were compared and analyzed. The material removal rate (MRR) of the C surfaces of SiC substrates was significantly improved after the introduction of the Fenton reaction in alumina-containing slurry at pH 4, resulting in a smoother surface. Low-field nuclear magnetism, atomic force microscopy (AFM), ultraviolet spectrophotometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to gain insights on inter-particle interactions and oxidation mechanisms of C face of SiC in presence of Fenton reaction. The results revealed that while hydroxyl radicals demonstrated potent oxidation ability, they alone were incapable of oxidizing C face of SiC.