Evaluation of Switching Performances and Short Circuit Capability of a 1.2 kV SiC GAA MOSFET through TCAD Simulations

Abstract:

Silicon Carbide (SiC) is a leading material for power electronics due to its high critical electric field, rapid switching, and high-temperature capabilities. This study delves into the dynamic and thermal performance of a novel SiC power MOSFET, utilizing an innovative vertical Gate All Around (GAA) design. Through detailed 2D TCAD simulations in cylindrical coordinates, the device’s behavior is analyzed across various pillar radii and temperatures. Results indicate that while reducing the pillar radius does not improve the on-resistance (R_ON), a 500 nm radius is required to achieve R_ON < 10 mΩ∙cm². Additionally, larger pillar radii significantly increase capacitance. The device exhibits strong switching performance comparable to commercial counterparts and benefits from the absence of a termination region. However, its short-circuit ruggedness is compromised, particularly in structures with smaller pillar radii, where delayed thermal runaway failure is observed. Notably, for a 20 nm radius, the temperature peak occurs on the Drain side, a deviation from typical behavior. Despite its advantages, the design's low short-circuit capability remains a limitation.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 1021)
• Pages: 17-23
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-Mc0tPH
• Online since: September 2025
• Authors: Luca Maresca*, Vincenzo Terracciano, Alessandro Borghese, Marco Boccarossa, Michele Riccio, Giovanni Breglio, Stephan Wirths, Andrea Irace
• Keywords: Gate All Around, Pillar, Short-Circuit, SiC, TCAD, Wide Bandgap Semiconductor

References

[1] B. Jayant Baliga, Fundamentals of power semiconductor devices, Springer Science & Business Media, 2010.

[2] Maresca, Luca, et al., SiC GAA MOSFET Concept for High Power Electronics Performance Evaluation through Advanced TCAD Simulations, Solid State Phenomena 360 (2024): 75-80.

DOI: 10.4028/p-lhri4m

[3] J. H. Edgar, et al., Selective epitaxial growth of silicon carbide on SiO 2 masked Si (100): The effects of temperature, Journal of applied physics 84.1 (1998): 201-204.

DOI: 10.1063/1.368017

[4] F. Udrea, et al., The FinFET effect in Silicon Carbide MOSFETs, 2021 33rd (ISPSD). IEEE, 2021.

[5] Kato, T., et al., Enhanced performance of 50 nm Ultra-Narrow-Body silicon carbide MOSFETs based on FinFET effect, 2020 32nd International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs (ISPSD). IEEE, 2020.

DOI: 10.1109/ispsd46842.2020.9170182

[6] G. Romano et al., A comprehensive study of short-circuit ruggedness of silicon carbide power MOSFETs, IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics, vol. 4, n. 3, 2016.

DOI: 10.1109/jestpe.2016.2563220