High Temperature Operation Limit Assessment for 4H-SiC Schottky Diode-Based Extreme Temperature Sensors

We developed a simplified theoretical model for parameters calculation of diode temperature sensors (DTS) based on Schottky diodes (SD). The current flow mechanism of the diodes considered was dominated by over-barrier thermionic emission. Qualitative correlations between basic fundamental and electrophysical parameters of such DTS were established. The expressions for ultimate high-temperature parameters of the DTS were obtained. Theoretical results obtained were approved using the test samples of DTS with Schottky contact Ni/n-SiC (4H). It was shown that physical high-temperature limit of operation of such a DTS (>1250 K) exceeded the values of commercial DTS based on Si, GaAs, and AlGaAs p-n junctions. And the SD-based DTS itself demonstrated significantly lower energy consumption.