A comprehensive introduction and up-to-date reference to SiC power semiconductor devices covering topics from material properties to applications Based on a number of breakthroughs in SiC material science and fabrication technology in the 1980s and 1990s, the first SiC Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) were released as commercial products in 2001. The SiC SBD market has grown significantly since that time, and SBDs are now used in a variety of power systems, particularly switch-mode power supplies and motor controls. SiC power MOSFETs entered commercial production in 2011, providing rugged, high-efficiency switches for high-frequency power systems. In this wide-ranging book, the authors draw on their considerable experience to present both an introduction to SiC materials, devices, and applications and an in-depth reference for scientists and engineers working in this fast-moving field. Fundamentals of Silicon Carbide Technology covers basic properties of SiC materials, processing technology, theory and analysis of practical devices, and an overview of the most important systems applications. Specifically included are: A complete discussion of SiC material properties, bulk crystal growth, epitaxial growth, device fabrication technology, and characterization techniques. Device physics and operating equations for Schottky diodes, pin diodes, JBS/MPS diodes, JFETs, MOSFETs, BJTs, IGBTs, and thyristors. A survey of power electronics applications, including switch-mode power supplies, motor drives, power converters for electric vehicles, and converters for renewable energy sources. Coverage of special applications, including microwave devices, high-temperature electronics, and rugged sensors. Fully illustrated throughout, the text is written by recognized experts with over 45 years of combined experience in SiC research and development. This book is intended for graduate students and researchers in crystal growth, material science, and semiconductor device technology. The book is also useful for design engineers, application engineers, and product managers in areas such as power supplies, converter and inverter design, electric vehicle technology, high-temperature electronics, sensors, and smart grid technology.

Silicon (Si) is by far the most widely used semiconductor material for power devices. On the other hand, Si-based power devices are approaching their material limits, which has provoked a lot of efforts to find alternatives to Si-based power devices for better performance. With the rapid innovations and developments in the semiconductor industry, Silicon Carbide (SiC) power devices have progressed from immature prototypes in laboratories to a viable alternative to Si-based power devices in high-efficiency and high-power density applications. SiC devices have numerous persuasive advantages--high-breakdown voltage, high-operating electric field, high-operating temperature, high-switching frequency and low losses. Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices belong to the so-called wide band gap semiconductor group, which offers a number of attractive characteristics for high voltage power semiconductors when compared to commonly used silicon (Si). Recently, some SiC power devices, for example, Schottky-barrier diodes (SBDs), metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effecttransistors (MOSFETs), junction FETs (JFETs), and their integrated modules have come onto the market. Physics and Technology of Silicon Carbide Devices abundantly describes recent technologies on manufacturing, processing, characterization, modeling, etc. for SiC devices.

Recently, some SiC power devices such as Schottky-barrier diodes (SBDs), metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs), junction FETs (JFETs), and their integrated modules have come onto the market. However, to stably supply them and reduce their cost, further improvements for material characterizations and those for device processing are still necessary. This book abundantly describes recent technologies on manufacturing, processing, characterization, modeling, and so on for SiC devices. In particular, for explanation of technologies, I was always careful to argue physics underlying the technologies as much as possible. If this book could be a little helpful to progress of SiC devices, it will be my unexpected happiness.

Power semiconductor devices are widely used for the control and management of electrical energy. The improving performance of power devices has enabled cost reductions and efficiency increases resulting in lower fossil fuel usage and less environmental pollution. This book provides the first cohesive treatment of the physics and design of silicon carbide power devices with an emphasis on unipolar structures. It uses the results of extensive numerical simulations to elucidate the operating principles of these important devices. Sample Chapter(s). Chapter 1: Introduction (72 KB). Contents: Material Properties and Technology; Breakdown Voltage; PiN Rectifiers; Schottky Rectifiers; Shielded Schottky Rectifiers; Metal-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors; The Baliga-Pair Configuration; Planar Power MOSFETs; Shielded Planar MOSFETs; Trench-Gate Power MOSFETs; Shielded Trendch-Gate MOSFETs; Charge Coupled Structures; Integral Diodes; Lateral High Voltage FETs; Synopsis. Readership: For practising engineers working on power devices, and as a supplementary textbook for a graduate level course on power devices.

Since the 1997 publication of "Silicon Carbide - A Review of Fundamental Questions and Applications to Current Device Technology" edited by Choyke, et al., there has been impressive progress in both the fundamental and developmental aspects of the SiC field. So there is a growing need to update the scientific community on the important events in research and development since then. The editors have again gathered an outstanding team of the world's leading SiC researchers and design engineers to write on the most recent developments in SiC.

Silicon Carbide - this easy to manufacture compound of silicon and carbon is said to be THE emerging material for applications in electronics. High thermal conductivity, high electric field breakdown strength and high maximum current density make it most promising for high-powered semiconductor devices. Apart from applications in power electronics, sensors, and NEMS, SiC has recently gained new interest as a substrate material for the manufacture of controlled graphene. SiC and graphene research is oriented towards end markets and has high impact on areas of rapidly growing interest like electric vehicles. This volume is devoted to high power devices products and their challenges in industrial application. Readers will benefit from reports on development and reliability aspects of Schottky barrier diodes, advantages of SiC power MOSFETs, or SiC sensors. The authors discuss MEMS and NEMS as SiC-based electronics for automotive industry as well as SiC-based circuit elements for high temperature applications, and the application of transistors in PV-inverters. The list of contributors reads like a "Who's Who" of the SiC community, strongly benefiting from collaborations between research institutions and enterprises active in SiC crystal growth and device development. Among the former are CREE Inc. and Fraunhofer ISE, while the industry is represented by Toshiba, Nissan, Infineon, NASA, Naval Research Lab, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, to name but a few.

In the 1950s Shockley predicted that SiC would quickly replace Si as a result of its superior material properties. In many ways he was right and today there is an active industry based on SiC, with new achievements being reported every year. This book reviews the progress achieved in SiC research and development, particularly over the past 10 years. It presents the essential properties of 3C-, 6H- and 4H-SiC polytypes including structural, electrical, optical, surface and interface properties; describes existing key SiC devices and also the challenges in materials growth and device fabrication of the 21st century. Overall it provides an up-to-date reference book suitable for a broad audience of newcomers, graduate students and engineers in industrial R&D.