A heterogeneous epitaxial structure formed on a SiC (silicon carbide) substrate. An intermediate layer comprising AIN is formed overlying the SiC substrate. The surface of the intermediate layer comprises AIN formed by lateral epitaxial growth. The lateral epitaxial growth merges to form the surface comprising a MELO layer (merged epitaxial lateral overgrowth). The intermediate layer includes a carbon layer underlying the MELO layer. At least one device layer comprising GaN (gallium nitride) is formed overlying the surface of the intermediate layer in which one or more semiconductor devices are formed. The carbon layer is heated to fracture portions of the intermediate layer to separate the SiC substrate from the intermediate layer. The SiC substrate is not consumed by the separation thereby allowing perpetual reuse in semiconductor wafer processing.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate formed of silicon carbide. The semiconductor substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other in a first direction, and the semiconductor substrate has a ring-shaped edge region. The method further includes forming a die on the first surface, and performing a backside grinding process on the second surface to provide a backside surface at a virtual reference plane. The ring-shaped edge region includes a sidewall surface extending in the first direction and a first edge surface being between the first surface and the sidewall surface. A reference thickness between the first surface and the virtual reference plane in the first direction is 20 m to 200 m. A first edge height of the first edge surface in the first direction is smaller than the reference thickness.

A process for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes providing a silicon carbide wafer, having a substrate. An epitaxial growth for formation of an epitaxial layer, having a top surface, is carried out on the substrate. Following upon the step of carrying out an epitaxial growth, the process includes the step of removing a surface portion of the epitaxial layer starting from the top surface so as to remove surface damages present at the top surface as a result of propagation of dislocations from the substrate during the previous epitaxial growth and so as to define a resulting top surface substantially free of defects.