Abstract
Several generations of high power, lateral, linear mode, intrinsically triggered 4H-SiC photoconductive semiconductor switch designs and their performance are presented. These switches were fabricated from high purity semi-insulating 4H-SiC samples measuring 12.7 mm × 12.7 mm × 0.36 mm and were able to block dc electric fields up to 370 kV/cm with leakage currents less than 10 μA without failure. Switching voltages and currents up to 26 kV and 450 A were achieved with these devices and ON-state resistances of 2 were achieved with 1 mJ of 355 nm laser energy (7 ns FWHM). After fewer than 100 high power switching cycles, these devices exhibited cracks near the metal/SiC interface. Experimental and simulation results investigating the root cause of this failure mechanism are also presented. These results strongly suggest that a transient spike in the magnitude of the electric field at the metal/SiC interface during both switch closing and opening is the dominant cause of the observed cracking.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 7108031 |
Pages (from-to) | 2021-2031 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science |
Volume | 43 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1 2015 |
Keywords
- Photoconducting devices
- photoconducting materials
- photoconductivity
- power semiconductor switches
- pulse generation
- pulsed-power system switches
- semiconductor switches
- silicon carbide.