13-kV, 20-A 4H-SiC PiN Diodes for Power System Applications

We successfully fabricated 13-kV, 20-A, 8 mm x 8 mm, drift-free 4H-SiC PiN diodes. The fabricated diodes exhibited breakdown voltages that exceeded 13 kV, a forward voltage drop of 4.9-5.3 V, and an on-resistance (R(on)A(active)) of 12 m Omega.cm(2) at 100 A/cm(2). The blocking yield at 10 kV on a 3-in wafer exceeded 90%. We investigated failed devices using the Candela wafer inspection system and light-emission microscope and found that a few devices failed because of large defects on the chip. We also demonstrated that the fabricated diodes can be used in conducting high-voltage and high-current switching tests.