Positive temperature coefficient of breakdown voltage in 4H-SiC pn junction rectifiers

Neudeck, Philip G.; Fazi, C.

doi:10.1109/55.556092

Cited by 68 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Positive temperature coefficient of breakdown voltage, a standard behavior in silicon power devices, helps insure that current flow is distributed uniformly throughout a device, instead of concentrated at high-current filaments. To date, positive temperature coefficient of breakdown behavior has only been observed in 4H-SiC devices small enough to be free from elementary screw dislocations [31]. Before SiC can become feasible for widespread incorporation into high-power systems, SiC power devices must demonstrate at least equal, if not superior, reliability characteristics as present-day silicon power devices.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breakdown degradation associated with elementary screw dislocations in 4H-SiC p+n junction rectifiers

Neudeck

Huang

Dudley

1998

Solid-State Electronics

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It is well-known that SiC wafer quality deficiencies are delaying the realization of outstandingly superior 4H-SiC power electronics. While efforts to date have centered on eradicating micropipes (i.e., hollow core super-screw dislocations with Burgers vector > 2c), 4H-SiC wafers and epilayers also contain elementary screw dislocations (i.e., Burgers vector = 1c with no hollow core) in densities on the order of thousands per cm 2 , nearly 100-fold micropipe densities. This paper describes an initial study into the impact of elementary screw dislocations on the reverse-bias current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of 4H-SiC p + n diodes. First, Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography (SWBXT) was employed to map the exact locations of elementary screw dislocations within small-area 4H-SiC p + n mesa diodes. Then the high-field reverse leakage and breakdown properties of these diodes were subsequently characterized on a probing station outfitted with a dark box and video camera. Most devices without screw dislocations exhibited excellent characteristics, with no detectable leakage current prior to breakdown, a sharp breakdown I-V knee, and no visible concentration of breakdown current. In contrast devices that contained at least one elementary screw dislocation exhibited a 5% to 35% reduction in breakdown voltage, a softer breakdown I-V knee, and visible microplasmas in which highly localized breakdown current was concentrated. The locations of observed breakdown microplasmas corresponded exactly to the locations of elementary screw dislocations identified by SWBXT mapping. While not as detrimental to SiC device performance as micropipes, the undesirable breakdown characteristics of elementary screw dislocations could nevertheless adversely affect the performance and reliability of 4H-SiC power devices.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breakdown degradation associated with elementary screw dislocations in 4H-SiC p+n junction rectifiers

Neudeck

Huang

Dudley

1998

Solid-State Electronics

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“…Both increasing and decreasing breakdown voltage with increasing temperature has been reported for 4H. [6][7][8] In the present letter we investigate the temperature dependence of avalanche breakdown in chemical vapor deposition ͑CVD͒-grown p-n diodes in 4H silicon carbide, both for uniform and microplasma breakdown. A study of 6H devices has also been performed for the purpose of comparison.…”

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confidence: 99%

Temperature dependence of avalanche breakdown for epitaxial diodes in 4H silicon carbide

Konstantinov

Nordell

Wahab

et al. 1998

Applied Physics Letters

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The temperature dependence of avalanche breakdown is investigated for uniform and microplasma-related breakdown in epitaxial 4H SiC p-n junctions. P-n mesa diodes fabricated with positive angle beveling and oxide passivation can withstand temperatures of up to 300–400 °C in the breakdown regime. Uniform avalanche breakdown in 4H silicon carbide appears to have a positive temperature coefficient, in contrast to the 6H polytype, where the temperature coefficient is negative. The influence of deep levels on avalanche breakdown in epitaxial diodes is of minor importance for uniform breakdown, but appears to be significant for breakdown through microplasmas. A negative temperature coefficient for the avalanche breakdown voltage can be observed even for 4H SiC if the breakdown is dominated by microplasmas.

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“…Also, in contrast to silicon, the breakdown voltage of SiC was observed to decrease when temperature increases, but is now attributed to defect influence. The BV of high-quality (and small-area) 6H-and 4H-SiC devices has been shown to have a positive temperature coefficient (Neudeck & Fazi 1997).…”

Section: Figures Of Meritmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-Temperature Electronics in Europe

Dmitriev¹,

Chow²,

DenBaars³

et al. 2000

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Support is provided by a variety of U.S. government agencies, including ONR, DoC, and NSF.ITRI's mission is two-pronged: (1) to inform U.S. policymakers, strategic planners, and managers of the state of selected technologies in foreign countries in comparison to the United States; and (2) to identify opportunities for international cooperation among countries and collaboration among researchers. ITRI assessments cover basic research, advanced development, and applications. Panels of typically six technical experts conduct these assessments. Panelists are leading authorities in their fields, technically active, and knowledgeable about U.S. and foreign research programs. As part of the assessment process, panels visit and carry out extensive discussions with foreign scientists and engineers in their labs.The ITRI staff at Loyola College helps select topics, recruits expert panelists, arranges study visits to foreign laboratories, organizes workshop presentations, and finally, edits and disseminates the final reports. HIGH-TEMPERATURE ELECTRONICS IN EUROPE August 2000Vladimir Dmitriev (Chair) T. Paul Chow Steven P. DenBaars Michael S. Shur Michael G. Spencer George White This document was sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) under ONR Grant NOOO14-99-1-0529 and NSF Cooperative Agreement ENG-9707092, both awarded to the International Technology Research Institute at Loyola College in Maryland. The government has certain rights in this material. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States government, the authors' parent institutions, or Loyola College. ABSTRACTThis final report of ITRI's panel on high-temperature electronics in Europe consists of an executive summary, an introductory chapter, and six chapters by panel members on various aspects of wide bandgap electronics. The report also contains site reports for the various companies, labs, universities, and government offices that the panel visited in Europe. Comparisons are made between developments in Europe and the United States. Principal findings include: • European scientists and engineers see optoelectronics and high-power, high-frequency electronics as the major application opportunities for wide bandgap semiconductors.• The size of the GaN and SiC technology and device development effort in Europe is comparable with that in the United Statews.• Europe is ahead of the U.S. in in bulk GaN growth technology.• The United States is currently ahead in GaN-based device developments for light emitters, and high-power/high-frequency applications.• In silicon carbide technology, the U.S. is ahead in SiC bulk crystal and epitaxial production.• In R&D silicon carbide effort, European organization both academic and industrial have recently demonstrated outstanding results in both material growth (bulk and epi) and device development proving the leading position in the world; in the area ...

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Positive temperature coefficient of breakdown voltage in 4H-SiC pn junction rectifiers

Cited by 68 publications

References 12 publications

Breakdown degradation associated with elementary screw dislocations in 4H-SiC p+n junction rectifiers

Breakdown degradation associated with elementary screw dislocations in 4H-SiC p+n junction rectifiers

Temperature dependence of avalanche breakdown for epitaxial diodes in 4H silicon carbide

High-Temperature Electronics in Europe

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