Electro-Thermal, Transient, Mixed-Mode 2D Simulation Study of SiC Power Thyristors Operating Under Pulsed-Power Conditions

Abstract

An electro-thermal, transient device simulation study of Silicon Carbide (SiC) power thyristors operating in a pulsed-power circuit at extremely high current density has been carried out within the drift-diffusion approximation and classical heat generation and transport theory using MEDICI* [1]. The convergence problems normally associated with Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) simulations of SiC bipolar devices were overcome without artificially increasing the free carrier concentration by optical carrier generation, or by increasing the initial temperature (thermal carrier generation). The simulation results closely predict the actual operating conditions of the SiC thyristor in the pulsed-power circuit and are used to interpret the results of experimental failure limit studies [2]. It is shown that TCAD simulations can realistically predict the electrical and thermal properties of complex SiC bipolar semiconductor devices operating under fast transient, pulsed-power conditions.

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