SiC devices: physics and numerical simulation

Abstract

The important material parameters for 6H silicon carbide (6H-SiC) are extracted from the literature and implemented into the 2-D device simulation programs PISCES and BREAKDOWN and into the 1-D program OSSI Simulations of 6H-SiC p-n junctions show the possibility to operate corresponding devices at temperatures up to 1000 K thanks to their low reverse current densities. Comparison of a 6H-SiC 1200 V p-n/sup -/-n/sup +/ diode with a corresponding silicon (Si) diode shows the higher switching performance of the 6H-SiC diode, while the forward power loss is somewhat higher than in Si due to the higher built-in voltage of the 6H-SiC p-n junction. This disadvantage can be avoided by a 6H-SiC Schottky diode. The on-resistances of Si, 3C-SiC, and 6H-SiC vertical power MOSFET's are compared by analytical calculations. At room temperature, such SiC MOSFET's can operate up to blocking capabilities of 5000 V with an on-resistance below 0.1 /spl Omega/cm/sup 2/, while Si MOSFET's are limited to below 500 V. This is checked by calculating the characteristics of a 6H-SiC 1200 V MOSFET with PISCES. In the voltage region below 200 V, Si is superior due to its higher mobility and lower threshold voltage. Electric fields in the order of 4/spl times/10/sup 6/ V/cm occur in the gate oxide of the mentioned 6H-SiC MOSFET as well as in a field plate oxide used to passivate its planar junction. To investigate the high frequency performance of SiC devices, a heterobipolartransistor with a 6H-SiC emitter is considered. Base and collector are assumed to be out of 3C-SiC. Frequencies up to 10 GHz with a very high output power are obtained on the basis of analytical considerations.>