Challenges in SiC power MOSFET design

Author

Matocha, Kevin

Author_Institution

GE Global Res. Center, Niskayuna

fYear

2007

fDate

12-14 Dec. 2007

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

2

Abstract

SiC power MOSFETs are being developed to improve the efficiency and temperature capability of electronic power conversion systems. While SiC power MOSFETs share many similarities to silicon MOSFETs, many challenging differences remain. In particular, the wide-bandgap nature of 4H-SiC (E<sub>G</sub>=3.26 eV) is both a blessing and a curse, bringing a low intrinsic carrier concentration and a high critical electric field, while presenting challenges with inversion-layer mobility and reliability in passivating dielectric layers. This paper addresses several key issues relating to the design of 1000 Volt SiC power MOSFETs, including effects of the poor channel mobility, the high electric fields in dielectric layers, and the challenges of switching the SiC MOSFET.

Keywords

carrier mobility; passivation; power MOSFET; semiconductor device models; semiconductor device reliability; silicon compounds; wide band gap semiconductors; SiC; channel mobility; electron volt energy 3.26 eV; electronic power conversion systems; high critical electric field; inversion-layer mobility; low intrinsic carrier concentration; passivating dielectric layers; silicon carbride power MOSFET design; voltage 1000 V; Capacitance; Doping; Electric breakdown; Electron traps; MOSFET circuits; Power MOSFET; Rough surfaces; Silicon carbide; Surface roughness; Temperature;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Semiconductor Device Research Symposium, 2007 International

Conference_Location

College Park, MD

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-1891-6

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-4244-1892-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ISDRS.2007.4422412

Filename

4422412