Influence of Shockley Stacking Fault Expansion and Contraction on the Electrical Behavior of 4H-SiC DMOSFETs and MPS diodes

2008 ◽  
Vol 1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua David Caldwell ◽  
Robert E Stahlbush ◽  
Eugene A. Imhoff ◽  
Orest J. Glembocki ◽  
Karl D. Hobart ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe forward voltage drop (Vf) increase observed in 4H-SiC bipolar devices such as pin diodes due to recombination-induced Shockley stacking fault (SSF) creation and expansion has been widely discussed in the literature. It was long believed that the deleterious affect of these defects was limited to bipolar devices. However, it was recently reported that forward biasing of the body diode of a 10kV 4H-SiC DMOSFET led to similar Vf increases in the body diode I-V curve as well as a corresponding degradation in the majority carrier conduction characteristics as well and this degradation was believed to be due to the creation and expansion of SSFs during the body diode forward biasing. Here we report measurements comparing the influence of similar stressing, along with annealing and current-induced recovery experiments in DMOSFETs and merged pin-Schottky diodes with the previously reported results of these experiments in 4H-SiC pin diodes. The results of these experiments provide sufficient support that the observed degradation in the majority carrier conduction characteristics is the result of SSF expansion.

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 4566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asllani ◽  
Morel ◽  
Phung ◽  
Planson

This paper presents the design, fabrication and characterization results obtained on the last generation (third run) of SiC 10 kV PiN diodes from SuperGrid Institute. In forward bias, the 59 mm2 diodes were tested up to 100 A. These devices withstand voltages up to 12 kV on wafer (before dicing, packaging) and show a low forward voltage drop at 80 A. The influence of the temperature from 25 °C to 125 °C has been assessed and shows that resistivity modulation occurs in the whole temperature range. Leakage current at 3 kV increases with temperature, while being three orders of magnitude lower than those of equivalent Si diodes. Double-pulse switching tests reveal the 10 kV SiC PiN diode’s outstanding performance. Turn-on dV/dt and di/dt are −32 V/ns and 311 A/µs, respectively, whereas turn-off dV/dt and di/dt are 474 V/ns and −4.2 A/ns.


2008 ◽  
Vol 600-603 ◽  
pp. 273-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua D. Caldwell ◽  
Robert E. Stahlbush ◽  
Orest J. Glembocki ◽  
Karl D. Hobart ◽  
Kendrick X. Liu ◽  
...  

The nucleation and expansion of Shockley stacking faults (SSFs) in 4H-SiC is known to induce an increase in the forward voltage drop (Vf) of bipolar devices such as pin diodes. However, recent annealing experiments have shown that SSFs can not only expand, but that low temperature annealing (210-7000C) induces a contraction of the SSFs that is coupled with a full and repeatable recovery of the Vf drift. Here we report that following extended periods of forward bias operation that the Vf drift of 10kV 4H-SiC pin diodes saturates, with the saturation Vf drift dropping with increasing stressing temperature. Upon reaching saturation, increases in temperature during forward bias operation at the same injection conditions also lead to a partial recovery of the Vf drift. Furthermore, the magnitude of this current-induced recovery is dependent upon the injection current, as reductions in the current cause a slower, but larger overall Vf drift recovery. All of these results clearly indicate that the current driving force models for SSF expansion are either incomplete or incorrect and that further efforts are required for a more complete understanding of SSF dynamics to be obtained.


2014 ◽  
Vol 778-780 ◽  
pp. 855-858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Okamoto ◽  
Yasunori Tanaka ◽  
Tomonori Mizushima ◽  
Mitsuru Yoshikawa ◽  
Hiroyuki Fujisawa ◽  
...  

We successfully fabricated 13-kV, 20-A, 8 mm × 8 mm, drift-free 4H-SiC PiN diodes. The fabricated diodes exhibited breakdown voltages that exceeded 13 kV, a forward voltage drop of 4.9–5.3 V, and an on-resistance (RonAactive) of 12 mW·cm2. The blocking yield at 10 kV on a 3-in wafer exceeded 90%. We investigated failed devices using Candela defect maps and light-emission images and found that a few devices failed because of large defects on the chip. We also demonstrated that the fabricated diodes can be used in conducting high-voltage and high-current switching tests.


2008 ◽  
Vol 1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sei-Hyung Ryu ◽  
Qingchun Zhang ◽  
Husna Fatima ◽  
Sarah Haney ◽  
Robert Stahlbush ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the effect of recombination-induced stacking faults on the drift based forward conduction and leakage currents of high voltage 4H-SiC power devices. To show the effects, 10 kV 4H-SiC MPS (Merged PiN Schottky) diodes have been fabricated on a standard wafer and a low BPD (Basal Plane Dislocation) wafer, and their IV characteristics were evaluated before and after a forward bias stress, which resulted in minority carrier recombination and conductivity modulation in the drift epilayer of the diodes. After the stressing, the diode fabricated on standard wafer showed a significant increase in forward voltage drop, as well as a marked increase in leakage current, which were due to induction of stacking faults. The diode on the low BPD wafer showed very little change after the stress because the induction of stacking faults was minimized. Similar results were also observed on a 10 kV 4H-SiC DMOSFET. The results suggest that recombination-induced stacking faults are detrimental to all device types, and injection of minority carriers in majority carrier devices should be avoided at all times.


2018 ◽  
Vol 924 ◽  
pp. 568-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arash Salemi ◽  
Hossein Elahipanah ◽  
Carl Mikael Zetterling ◽  
Mikael Östling

Implantation-free mesa etched ultra-high-voltage 4H-SiC PiN diodes are fabricated, measured and analyzed by device simulation. The diode’s design allows a high breakdown voltage of about 19.3 kV according to simulations. No reverse breakdown is observed up to 13 kV with a very low leakage current of 0.1 μA. A forward voltage drop (VF) and differential on-resistance (Diff. Ron) of 9.1 V and 41.4 mΩ cm2are measured at 100 A/cm2, respectively, indicating the effect of conductivity modulation.


2006 ◽  
Vol 527-529 ◽  
pp. 1363-1366
Author(s):  
Peter A. Losee ◽  
Can Hua Li ◽  
R.J. Kumar ◽  
T. Paul Chow ◽  
I. Bhat ◽  
...  

The on-state and switching performance of high voltage 4H-SiC junction rectifiers are compared using numerical simulations and experimental characterization. Epitaxial and implanted anode PiN diodes as well as novel, advanced rectifiers have been fabricated in 4H-SiC using 110μm thick drift layers. The relatively low forward voltage drop of these epi-anode diodes (4.2V @ 100A/cm2) indicates moderate conductivity modulation, while the superior switching performance of the “MPS-like” rectifiers is demonstrated with reverse recovery characteristics at various temperatures and forward current densities.


2012 ◽  
Vol 717-720 ◽  
pp. 953-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex V. Bolotnikov ◽  
Peter A. Losee ◽  
Kevin Matocha ◽  
Jeff Nasadoski ◽  
John Glaser ◽  
...  

This paper presents a study of performance and scalability of 8kV SiC PIN diodes focusing on area-dependent yield and sensitivity to material properties variation. Successfully fabricated 18 and 36 mm2 SiC-PiN diodes exhibited avalanche breakdown above 8 kV and < 5V forward voltage drop at 100 A/cm2 current density. The fast switching operation of these diodes up to ~5 kHz frequency is evidenced by reverse recovery measurements with by double-pulse inductive switching tests. The devices exhibit 0.142 and 0.169 uC/cm2 stored charge at room temperature and 125oC, respectively, when turned-off from Jf = 100A/cm2 to Vr = 2.1 kV. The measured diode breakdown voltage exhibited location and size dependent yield, indicating the necessity of material quality improvements for production.


2010 ◽  
Vol 645-648 ◽  
pp. 905-908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gil Yong Chung ◽  
Mark J. Loboda ◽  
Siddarth G. Sundaresan ◽  
Ranbir Singh

Correlation between carrier lifetime and forward voltage drop in 4H-SiC PiN diodes has been investigated. PiN diodes from the drift layer of 20 m shows breakdown voltage of 3.3 kV and forward voltage drop as low as 3.13 V at 100A/cm2. Variation of calculated forward voltage drop ( ) from measured carrier lifetimes is very comparable to measured of fully processed PiN diodes. Measured carrier lifetime and of PiN diodes also show good spatial correlation. Wafer level lifetime mapping can be employed to assess and predict of PiN diodes.


2006 ◽  
Vol 527-529 ◽  
pp. 243-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ze Hong Zhang ◽  
Tangali S. Sudarshan

A method was developed in our laboratory to grow low basal plane dislocation (BPD) density and BPD-free SiC epilayers. The key approach is to subject the SiC substrates to defect preferential etching, followed by conventional epitaxial growth. It was found that the creation of BPD etch pits on the substrates can greatly enhance the conversion of BPDs to threading edge dislocations (TEDs) during epitaxy, and thus low BPD density and BPD-free SiC epilayers are obtained. The reason why BPD etch pits can promote the above conversion is discussed. The SiC epilayer growth by this method is very promising in overcoming forward voltage drop degradation of SiC PiN diodes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 717-720 ◽  
pp. 1059-1064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sei Hyung Ryu ◽  
Lin Cheng ◽  
Sarit Dhar ◽  
Craig Capell ◽  
Charlotte Jonas ◽  
...  

We present our recent developments in 4H-SiC power DMOSFETs. 4H-SiC DMOSFETs with a room temperature specific on-resistance of 3.7 mΩ-cm2 with a gate bias of 20 V, and an avalanche voltage of 1550 V with gate shorted to source, was demonstrated. A threshold voltage of 3.5 V was extracted from the power DMOSFET, and a subthreshold swing of 200 mV/dec was measured. The device was successfully scaled to an active area of 0.4 cm2, and the resulting device showed a drain current of 377 A at a forward voltage drop of 3.8 V at 25oC.


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