Modeling of High Performance 4H-SiC Emitter Coupled Logic Circuits

Abstract:

SiC, a wide band gap semiconductor, is capable of robust operation at temperatures well above 600°C. SiC bipolar transistors are well suited for applications at high temperatures as, unlike MOSFET, it does not have a critical gate oxide, and hence oxide reliability at high temperatures is not an issue. In this paper, the design of optimized emitter coupled logic technology circuits using 4H-SiC bipolar transistors is presented. The circuits work over a wide range of temperatures and power supply voltages at high speeds, demonstrating the potential of robust high speed ECL integrated circuits in SiC for small-scale logic applications.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volumes 778-780)
• Pages: 1009-1012
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.778-780.1009
• Online since: February 2014
• Authors: Shakti Singh*, Nourhan El Sayed, Hazem Elgabra, Tamador ElBoshra, Maisam Wahbah, Mariam Al Zaabi
• Keywords: Emitter-Coupled Logic (ECL), High-Temperature, High-Temperature Integrated Circuits (ICs), Integrated Circuits, SiC ICs, Silicon Carbide (SiC), Smart Power

References

[1] P. G. Neudeck, Progress towards high temperature, high power SiC devices, in Institute of Physics Conference Series: Compound Semiconductors 1994, H. Goronkin and U. Mishra, Eds. Bristol, U.K.

[2] P. G. Neudeck and C. Fazi, Positive temperature coefficient of breakdown voltage in 4H-SiC pn junction rectifiers, IEEE Electron Device Lett. vol. 18, no. 3, p.96–98, Mar. (1997).

DOI: 10.1109/55.556092

[3] W. V. Müench and E. Pettenpaul, Saturated electron drift velocity in 6H silicon carbide, J. Appl. Phys., vol. 48, no. 11, p.4823–4825, Nov. (1977).

DOI: 10.1063/1.323506

[4] L. C. Yu, G. T. Dunne, K. S. Mathocha, K. P. Cheung, J. S. Suehle, and K. Sheng, Reliability issues of SiC MOSFETs: A technology for high temperature environments, IEEE Trans. Device Mater. Rel., vol. 10, no. 4, p.418–426, Sep. (2010).

DOI: 10.1109/tdmr.2010.2077295

[5] Singh, S.; Cooper, J.A., Bipolar Integrated Circuits in 4H-SiC, Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on , vol. 58, no. 4, p.1084, 1090, April (2011).

DOI: 10.1109/ted.2011.2107576

[6] R. Ghandi, B. Buono, M. Domeij, R. Esteve, A. Schöner, J. Han S. Dimitrijev, S. A. Reshanov, C. -M. Zetterling, and M. Östling, Surface passivation effects on the performance of 4H-SiC BJTs, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, vol. 58, no. 1, p.259–265, Jan. (2011).

DOI: 10.1109/ted.2010.2082712

[7] H. Miyake, T. Kimoto, and J. Suda, Improvement of current gain in 4H-SiC BJTs by surface passivation with deposited oxides nitrided in N2O or NO, IEEE Electron Device Lett., vol. 32, no. 3, p.285–287, Mar. (2011).

DOI: 10.1109/led.2010.2101575

[8] S. Singh, High-Performance TTL Bipolar Integrated Circuits in 4H-SiC, Ph. D. Dissertation, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, (2010).

[9] C. -F. Huang and J. A. Cooper, Jr., High current gain 4H-SiC npn bipolar junction transistors, IEEE Electron Device Lett., vol. 24, no. 6, p.396– 398, Jun. (2003).

DOI: 10.1109/led.2003.813520