Diamond power transistor performance

Abstract

The electrical characteristics of various diamond power device structures have been analysed using a two-dimensional numerical simulator code for semiconductor devices. The convergence of the simulator for diamond-based devices has been demonstrated and the simulation results indicate a superior power-handling capability of the diamond devices compared with equivalent silicon devices. In vertical recessed gate diamond power junction field effect transistors a very high current density and a high transconductance can be achieved. In the case of silicon and diamond devices having equivalent breakdown voltages the size of the diamond device can be reduced significantly. However, in small vertical structures the appearance of the space-charge-limited current strongly reduces the gate control of the current. In lateral diamond power metal-semiconductor field effect transistors the gate control is good even in small 1000 V devices, which also have a very low on state resistance 7 mΩ cm 2.