High-voltage silicon carbide rectifiers – results of experiments and simulation

Abstract

Low reverse leakage silicon carbide pin rectifier diodes with a breakdown voltage reaching 1100 V are experimentally shown to have acceptably low forward voltage drops, dominated by the built-in voltage. Numerical simulations of the experimental structure, using a measured carrier lifetime of 25 ns, validate the existence of a conductive plasma in the lowly doped base layer, despite a poor injection efficiency, related to the incomplete ionization of the aluminium acceptor. Simulation also indicates the need for a lifetime of ~ 100 ns in a 3.0 kV device.