Circular via holes with diameters of 10, 25, 50 and 70 mu m and rectangular via holes with dimensions of 10 mu m x 100 mu m, 20 mu m x 100 mu m and 30 mu m x 100 mu m and drilled depths between 105 and 110 mu m were formed in 300 mu m thick bulk 4H-SiC substrates by Ar/F-2 based UV laser drilling (lambda = 193 nm) with a pulse width of similar to 30 ns and a pulse frequency of 100 Hz. The drilling rate was linearly proportional to the fluence of the laser, however, the rate decreased for the larger via holes. The laser drilling produces much higher etch rates (229-870 mu m/min) than conventional dry etching (0.2-1.3 mu m/min) and the via entry can be tapered to facilitate subsequent metallization. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.