SiC Schottky Diode surge current analysis and application design using behavioral SPICE models

This work presents thermal analysis results of surge current test performed on pressed-pack encapsulated SiC Schottky Diodes. An original method for temperature evaluation during high current pulses, based on behavioural SPICE models, was used to approach the analysis. Silicon Carbide (SiC) is one of the most adequate wide bandgap (WBG) material for manufacturing high temperature and high power electronics. However, the actual generation of commercially available SiC power diodes (Schottky and JBS) shows a maximum junction temperature of only 175°C. This important derating of the SiC devices, which theoretically are capable to sustain much higher temperatures, is due to the packaging limitation. The aim of our investigations is to overcome the actual limitations of SiC device packaging and to obtain reliable SiC devices able to operate at temperatures over 300°C.