High Temperature Performance of Normally-off SiC JFET's Compared to Competing Approaches

Abstract

Normally-off Silicon Carbide (SiC) power Junction Field Effect Transistors (JFETs) were compared with competing power transistor technology at temperatures from 25 °C to 150 °C as limited by the packaging. Switching energies were measured from 1200 V, 125 mΩ and 50 mΩ (room temperature) rated SiC power JFETs and compared with 900 V silicon (Si) super-junction Metal Oxide Semiconductors (MOSFETs) and 1200 V Si Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs). For both comparisons, measured performance for the SiC power JFET was advantageous at all temperatures when switching at 50 kHz, including a total switching energy (ESW) of 97 μJ for the SiC JFET, compared with 158 μJ for the Si super-junction MOSFET, and 550 μJ for the Si IGBT at 25 °C. At 150°C, the ESW was 138 μJ for the SiC power JFET, 413 μJ for the Si super-junction MOSFET, and 1020 μJ for the Si IGBT. Increasing the die size of the 1200 V, normally-off SiC JFET by 2.25 resulted in an measured increase in switching energy of 2.7 and 2.37 at 25 °C and 150 °C, respectively, a quasi-linear relationship. Higher power preview products of the SiC normally-off JFET technology were also examined including a 1200 V, 25 mΩ (room-temperature rating) power JFET characterized up to 250 °C, and a module capable of 1200 V, 120 A DC performance at 25 °C.