Title :
Experimental demonstration of a silicon carbide IMPATT oscillator
Author :
Yuan, Luo ; Cooper, James A., Jr. ; Melloch, Michael R. ; Webb, Kevin J.
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN, USA
fDate :
6/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Silicon carbide (SiC) is an excellent material for high-power and high-frequency applications because of its high critical field, high electron saturation velocity, and high thermal conductivity. In this letter, we report the first experimental demonstration of microwave oscillation in 4H-SiC impact-ionization-avalanche-transit-time (IMPATT) diodes. The prototype devices are single-drift diodes with a high-low doping profile. DC characteristics exhibit hard, sustainable avalanche breakdown, as required for IMPATT operation. Microwave testing is performed in a reduced-height waveguide cavity. Oscillations are observed at 7.75 GHz at a power level of 1 mW.
Keywords :
IMPATT oscillators; avalanche breakdown; doping profiles; semiconductor device breakdown; semiconductor device testing; silicon compounds; wide band gap semiconductors; 1 mW; 4H-SiC IMPATT diodes; 7.75 GHz; DC characteristics; SiC; SiC IMPATT oscillator; X-band; hard sustainable avalanche breakdown; high critical field; high electron saturation velocity; high thermal conductivity; high-low doping profile; high-power high-frequency applications; microwave oscillation; microwave testing; reduced-height waveguide cavity; single-drift diodes; Avalanche breakdown; Conducting materials; Diodes; Doping profiles; Electrons; Microwave devices; Microwave oscillators; Prototypes; Silicon carbide; Thermal conductivity;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
