Materials Science Forum Vols. 645-648

Abstract: Two different optical measurement techniques have been combined in one single experimental platform to provide detailed insight into the interior of 4H-SiC bipolar devices with respect to their coupled electronic and thermal behavior: First, free carrier absorption (FCA) measurements yield time-resolved electron and hole densities profiles during turn-on and under stationary conditions; and second, light deflection measurements provide information about the gradients of the electron and hole densities as well as that of the temperature gradient. The full measurement process is also simulated on the computer as “virtual experiment” on the basis of high-fidelity physical device models. Investigations on high-blocking 4H-SiC bipolar diodes exemplify the optical probing methodology and the numerical simulation.

Abstract: A novel power device configuration, the Bipolar Turn Off thyristor (BTO), was proposed and demonstrated in SiC. The BTO operates in anode switch configuration consisting of a 9 kV SiC p-type Gate Turn Off thyristor (GTO) and a 1600 V SiC n-type Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT). Compared with SiC GTOs, several new features have been accomplished in the BTO: (1) A positive temperature coefficient of forward voltage drop, (2) Anode current saturation capability, and (3) A simple gate driver and fast switching speed.

Abstract: In this paper, very fast switch-off of high voltage 4H–SiC npn Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs) driven in deep saturation regime is reported. It is shown that the switch-off time can be as short as 4 ns if a reverse base current pulse is applied that provides forced minority carrier sweep out from the base.

Abstract: Due to the Silicon Carbide (SiC) material’s high electric field strength, wide bandgap, and good thermal conductivity, 4H-SiC thyristors are attractive candidates for pulsed power applications. With a thinner blocking layer almost an order of magnitude smaller than its Silicon (Si) counterpart, these devices promise very fast turn-on capabilities as full conductivity modulation occurs >10 times faster than comparable silicon thyristors, low leakage currents at high junction temperatures and at high voltage, and much lower forward voltage drop at high pulse currents. Our progress on the development of large area (4mm x 4mm) SiC thyristors is presented in this paper.

Abstract: The mechanisms of bipolar degradation in silicon carbide BJTs are investigated and identified. Bipolar degradation occurs as result of stacking fault (SF) growth within the low-doped collector region. A stacking fault blocks vertical current transport through the collector, driving the defective region into saturation. This results in considerable drop of emitter current gain if the BJT is run at a reasonably low collector-emitter bias. The base region does not play any significant role in bipolar degradation. Long-term stress tests have shown full stability of large-area high-power BJTs under minority carrier injection conditions provided the devices are fabricated using low Basal Plane Dislocation (BPD) material. However, an approximately 20% current gain compression is observed for the first 30-60 hours of burn-in under common emitter operation, which is related to instability of surface recombination in the passive base region.

Abstract: The current gain of 4H-SiC BJTs has been modeled using interface traps between SiC and SiO2 to describe surface recombination, by a positive temperature dependence of the carrier lifetime in the base region and by bandgap narrowing in the emitter region. The interface traps have been modeled by one single level at 1 eV above the valence band, with capture cross section of 1 × 10-15 cm2 and concentration of 2 × 1012 cm-2. The temperature behavior of SiC BJTs has been simulated and the results have been compared with measurements. An analysis of the carrier concentration has been performed in order to describe the mechanisms for fall-off of the current gain at high collector current. At room temperature high injection in the base and forward biasing of the base-collector junction occur simultaneously causing an abrupt drop of the current gain. At higher temperatures high injection in the base is alleviated by the higher ionization degree of the aluminum dopants, and then forward biasing of the base-collector junction is the only acting mechanism for the current gain fall-off at high collector current. This mechanism and the negative temperature dependence of the carrier mobility can also explain the reduction of the knee current for gain fall-off with increasing temperature. Simulations with different emitter widths have been also performed and analyzed to characterize the emitter size effect. Higher current density caused by reducing the emitter width introduces higher carrier recombination in the emitter region, leading to a reduction of the current gain.

Abstract: In this paper, we demonstrate triple ion implanted 4H-SiC bipolar junction transistor (BJT) with etched extrinsic base regions. At the result of etching extrinsic base regions by mask of contact metals, maximum common emitter current gain was improved from 0.7 to 1.6.

Abstract: We present recent results on 4H-SiC avalanche photodiode arrays and SiC-based solid-state photomultiplier arrays suitable for ultraviolet and solar-blind light detection. A novel SiC-based photomultiplier array was demonstrated. An additional solar-blind filter enabled a solar photon rejection ratio of more than 106 in combination with 40% quantum efficiency at 280 nm.

Abstract: For the purpose of the improving the efficiency of the 4H-SiC photodiode, we reported the spectral reflectance of the antireflection structure of the 140nm period like Moth Eye structure on the 4H-SiC pn epi-wafer. Measured reflectivity of the antireflection structured surface is below 2% at 310nm. The peak responsivity of SWS photodiode is 170mA/W (QE=75%) at 280nm. The response cut-off wavelength is 380nm. Sensitivity of the sensor with SWS structure has increased by compared with that without SWS structure over 260nm of wavelength. At 310 nm, the sensitivity of the photodiode with SWS has increased by 1.3 times than that without SWS. Total amount of short circuit currents was 22% of increase.

Abstract: Nonequilibrium-charge transport has been studied in a structure with a Schottky barrier fabricated on a CVD-grown n-4H-SiC film. The charge introduced by single α-particles was recorded by nuclear spectrometric techniques. The maximum electric field strength in the structure was 1.1 MV/cm. The recorded charge as a function of the reverse bias applied to the structure shows a superlinear rise. Simultaneously, the width of the amplitude spectrum increased superlinearly, too. The observed effect is attributed to the initial stage of impact ionization. The manifestation of the process at unusually low fields (~1.0 MV/cm) is accounted for by specific features of the charge generation process. The carriers generated by a α-particle are found to be originally "heated". The results obtained allow prognostication of the appearance of SiC detectors of the "proportional counter" type in the near future. This is enabled by the advances made in the field of high-voltage electronics in obtaining in practice the required electric field strengths.