Silicon carbide power MOSFETs: Breakthrough performance from 900 V up to 15 kV

Abstract

Since Cree, Inc.'s 2 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">nd</sup> generation 4H-SiC MOSFETs were commercially released with a specific on-resistance (R <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">ON, SP</inf> ) of 5 mΩ·cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> for a 1200 V-rating in early 2013, we have further optimized the device design and fabrication processes as well as greatly expanded the voltage ratings from 900 V up to 15 kV for a much wider range of high-power, high-frequency, and highvoltage energy-conversion and transmission applications. Using these next-generation SiC MOSFETs, we have now achieved new breakthrough performance for voltage ratings from 900 V up to 15 kV with a R <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">ON, SP</inf> as low as 2.3 mΩ·cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> for a breakdown voltage (BV) of 1230 V and 900 V-rating, 2.7 mΩ·cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> for a BV of 1620 V and 1200 V-rating, 3.38 mΩ·cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> for a BV of 1830 V and 1700 V-rating, 10.6 mΩ·cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> for a BV of 4160 V and 3300 V-rating, 123 mΩ·cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> for a BV of 12 kV and 10 kV-rating, and 208 mΩ·cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> for a BV of 15.5 kV and 15 kV-rating. In addition, due to the lack of current tailing during the bipolar device switching turn-off, the SiC MOSFETs reported in this work exhibit incredibly high frequency switching performance over their silicon counter parts.