Robustness of 4H-SiC 1200V Schottky diodes under high electrostatic discharge like human body model stresses: An in-depth failure analysis

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this study is to propose a complete failure analysis of silicon carbide (SiC) junction barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes under high electrostatic discharge (ESD) human body model (HBM)-like stresses addressing the limit of robustness for this new generation of high power devices. The Physics of Failure is fully investigated, first by analyzing electrical measurements which are relevant to physical integrity and interface states using parameters predicted by thermionic emission (TE) theory. Secondly Optical Beam Induced Resistance CHange (OBIRCH) is used for the localization of surface defects. Finally, Focused Ion Beam (FIB) cuts are performed and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analyses are carried out to characterize the structural and elemental composition modifications. With the results, correlations can be made between electrical and physical degradations, leading to reliable hypotheses about the root cause of the weaknesses of these devices when subjected to this kind of stress.