Modeling of Ionization Phenomena in SiC Diodes
Abstract
The theoretical study presented in this report has been triggered by some experimental findings indicating a negative temperature ionization coefficient, that is a breakdown voltage decreasing with temperature. Traditionally, semiconductors display a positive temperature coefficient, that is the breakdown bias increases with temperature. This is a signature of the intrinsic stability of a device, as under high bias operation, the internal heating of a device immediately translate into an enhancement of the breakdown voltage. On the contrary, a device exhibiting a negative coefficient is intrinsically unstable, as an increase in the internal temperature automatically favors the device breakdown. For instance, devices with a negative temperature coefficient would destructively react to a sudden current glitch. Furthermore, the presence of hot spots, that is special points of a device where (for instance because of the presence of dislocations) a lot of current is channeled, would also have catastrophic consequences.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA372442
Entities
People
- Paolo Lugli
Organizations
- Sapienza University of Rome