High energy proton irradiation effects on SiC Schottky rectifiers

Abstract

4H-SiC Schottky rectifiers with dielectric overlap edge termination were exposed to 40 MeV protons at fluences from 5×107–5×109 cm−2. The reverse breakdown voltage decreased from ∼500 V in unirradiated devices to ∼−450 V after the highest proton dose. The reverse leakage current at −250 V was approximately doubled under these conditions. The forward current at −2 V decreased by ∼1% (fluence of 5×107 cm−2) to ∼42% (fluence of 5×109 cm−2), while the current at lower biases was increased due to the introduction of defect centers. The ideality factor, on-state resistance, and forward turn-on voltage showed modest increases for fluences of ⩽5×108 cm−2, but were more strongly affected (increase of 40%–75%) at the highest dose employed.