We have developed a KOH-based defect etching procedure for silicon carbide (SiC), which comprises in situ temperature measurement and control of melt composition. As benefit for the first time reproducible etching conditions were established (calibration plot, etching rate versus temperature and time); the etching procedure is time independent, i.e. no altering in KOH melt composition takes place, and absolute melt temperature values can be set. The paper describes this advanced KOH etching furnace, including the development of a new temperature sensor resistant to molten KOH. We present updated, absolute KOH etching parameters of n-type SiC and new absolute KOH etching parameters for low and highly p-type doped SiC, which are used for quantitative defect analysis. As best defect etching recipes we found T = 530 degrees C/5 min (activation energy: 16.4kcal/mol) and T = 500 degrees C/5 min (activation energy: 13.5 kcal/mol) for n-type and p-type SiC, respectively. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.