300°C SiC Blocking Diodes for Solar Array Strings

Abstract

Silicon Carbide 300V-5A Ni and W Schottky diodes with high temperature operation capability (up to 300°C) have been fabricated. This paper reports on the stability tests (ESA space mission to Mercury, BepiColombo requirements) performed on these diodes. A DC current stress of 5A has been applied to these diodes at 270°C for 800 hours. These reliability tests revealed both, degradation at the Schottky interface (forward voltage drift) and at the diode top surface due to Aluminum diffusion (bond pull strength degradation). The use of W as Schottky metal allows eliminating the forward voltage drift producing stable metal–semiconductor interface properties. Nevertheless, SEM observations of the top metallization still reveal metal degradation after stress. The bond pull strength of the wire bond is also significantly reduced.