Design and Test Evaluation of SiC Diode Modules 

by Timothy E. Griffin and M. Gail Koebke 

ARL-TR-3222 May 2004 

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Army Research Laboratory 

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ARL-TR-3222 May 2004 

Design and Test Evaluation of SiC Diode Modules 

Timothy E. Griffin and M. Gail Koebke 

Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate, ARL 

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited. 
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Design and Test Evaluation of SiC Diode Modules 

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Timothy E. Griffin and M. Gail Koebke 

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14. ABSTRACT 

Two high-temperature modules, one of p-i-n SiC diodes and one of junction barrier Schottky SiC diodes, were fabricated on 

A1N. Material choice, thermal conductivity, compatibility, design, and performance are discussed. A curve tracer measured 

each diode on a module for forward and reverse current versus voltage. Diodes in parallel were measured for reverse recovery 

charge and time, at different currents and to 150 °C substrate, including operation in a DC-to-DC converter. A silicone overcoat 

permitted testing the p-i-n to the rated 1200-V reverse. 

15. SUBJECT TERMS

Silicon carbide, high temperature electronics and packaging, p-i-n diodes, junction barrier Schottky diodes 

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Timothy E. Griffin 

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iii

Contents 

List of Figures iv

List of Tables iv

Acknowledgments v

1. Introduction 1

2 SiC Properties and Diode Theory 1

3. Packaging and Commonly Used Materials 5

4. Packaging Process With Our Choice of Materials 7

4.1 Substrate Material Compatible With SiC Devices..........................................................7 

4.2 Metallization of Substrate Material.................................................................................7 

4.3 Attaching Connector Leads.............................................................................................8 

4.4 Attaching the Diode and Thermistor...............................................................................8 

4.5 Wire Bonding ..................................................................................................................9 

4.6 Lessons Learned From Previous Device and Packaging Evaluation ............................10 

4.7 Heat Sink and Encapsulation Materials.........................................................................13 

5. Electrical Testing 15

5.1 General and p-i-n Diodes ..............................................................................................15 

5.2 Junction Barrier Schottky Diodes..................................................................................28 

6. Conclusions 31

References 33

Distribution 35 
iv

List of Figures 

Figure 1. Results of poor thermal conductivity. (SiC GTO thyristor on alumina module) .........10 

Figure 2. Reworked AlN substrate, diodes originally attached with AuSn, reworked with 

epoxy........................................................................................................................................11 

Figure 3. Completed module in test setup. (Substrate is AlN, diodes attached with epoxy, 

leads attached with AuSn braze)..............................................................................................13

Figure 4. (Upper) circuit for reverse recovery and (lower) circuit for DC-to-DC buck 

converter ..................................................................................................................................17 

Figure 5. Module3 diode, Au melted from edge...........................................................................21 

Figure 6. New, lower right diode of module4...............................................................................23 

Figure 7. Continuous operation of Cotronics-coated module4 p-i-n in DC-to-DC buck 

converter ..................................................................................................................................26 

Figure 8. Curve tracer of module4 p-i-n #4 lower right Cotronics coated ...................................28 

Figure 9. Diodes JBS1, JBS2, JBS3, and JBS4 in parallel ...........................................................30 

List of Tables 

Table 1. Properties of materials used to package microelectronic components .............................6 

Table 2. Properties of materials considered to test microelectronic components.........................14 

Table 3. Module4 at 400 V ...........................................................................................................22 

Table 4. Contributions to power loss ............................................................................................24 

Table 5. Curve tracer of module4 p-i-n diodes.............................................................................27 

Table 6. JBS diodes.......................................................................................................................30 
v

Acknowledgments 

The authors acknowledge Stephen B. Bayne of the Sciences and Electron Devices Directorate 

(SEDD), U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), for overall supervision and Bruce R. Geil also 

of SEDD for instruction in packaging. 
vi

INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK. 
1

1. Introduction 

An open package planar module for silicon carbide (SiC) power diodes was engineered 

and fabricated. Materials, experiences, and electrical measurements are discussed. The 

chips of the crystal structure 4H of SiC each had a diode and were mounted on a module. 

Diodes were tested for reverse recovery at substrate temperature as great as 150 oC. We 

began with p-i-n (p-type surface layer over a nearly intrinsic base layer over the n-type 

bulk) diodes rated at 1200 V blocking and 5 A. The devices were first tested for forward 

and reverse characteristics on a digital storage curve tracer. Switching evaluation was 

then performed in a reverse recovery apparatus. The diodes were then tested in a DC-toDC buck converter (repetitive reverse recovery, cycles to “buck” the voltage down). 

After significant or stressful switching in the circuits, new measurements were taken of 

the diodes by the curve tracer and these were compared to the measurements before the 

stress. The reverse recovery time was evaluated as a function of the case temperature of 

the devices. Reverse recovery current and voltage versus time were measured to 

calculate charge, peak current, and power dissipation. Current sharing by diodes in 

parallel operation was less than equal to varying extents, and current shifted to another 

diode during the microseconds after reverse recovery. One problem discovered with the 

devices was the gold upper layer “creep-back” from the edge of a very heated chip. The 

gold should have had better passivation to prevent this. 

Four chips, each with a junction barrier Schottky (JBS) diode rated 500 V and 4 A, were 

mounted on a module. Semiconductor fabrication calculations favor the low forward 

voltage and low reverse leakage of JBS diodes at less than such voltage. Electrically, 

these JBS were not adequately durable; one blew at less than 230 V and 1 A, and one 

blew at less than 300 V and 2.3 A. The JBS had much less reverse recovery time and 

charge (such as 14.4 ns and 10 nC) than the p-i-n. Initial study of new JBS diode showed 

each at 20 A and blocking voltage of 1100 V to 150 °C. 

2 SiC Properties and Diode Theory 

The wide band-gap semiconductor 4H-SiC has properties favorable for power and high 

temperature semiconductor devices. The 3.2-eV band gap makes the intrinsic carrier 

concentration negligible at working temperatures. For a wide band-gap semiconductor, 

its electron mobility is good in all directions. At a given doping, the breakdown electric 

field was at least 2 × 106 V/cm (10× that of Si); this permitted higher doping and a thinner 

base region of the p-i-n. For a high reverse voltage rating, this gives a much-needed 
2

lower series resistance. This would more than compensate for SiC’s higher built-in 

junction voltage; Schottky or JBS diodes have lower junction voltage. SiC reverse 

recovery is faster than Si and has less charge (reverse recovery current during its time); 

when multiplied by the reverse recovery voltage, this would produce less power loss and 

generate less heat as the flyback diode for an Si-insulated gate bipolar transistor during 

switching. SiC lets devices operate at a higher junction temperature than Si—in theory, 

much higher. This permits greater power density and current density for power 

electronics. It also permits operation at a higher case temperature and for a given power, 

at a higher thermal gradient; these reduce the cooling requirements. SiC has high 

radiation hardness, chemical and physical inertness, and ruggedness as for thermal shock. 

SiC in furnace processing can grow good quality SiO2 to protect the device. Many SiC 

advances are found in the International Conference on SiC and Related Materials 

(ICSCRM) held in odd-numbered years and in the European Conference on Silicon 

Carbide and Related Materials (ECSCRM) held in even-numbered years. 

Grown crystal quality continues to improve and possibly will use 4° and not the usual 8°

off the (0001) plane (1). Micropipes are open core defects and are decreasing below 

0.5 cm–2 (2). However, (3) nanopipe closed core screw dislocations are 1000 to 5000 

cm–2, basal plane dislocations are >104 cm–2, and low angle grain boundaries are 100 to 

1000 cm–2 and reduce lifetime. Stacking faults are 1 to 100 cm–2. Defect density must 

be low for reduced reverse leakage current (calling 10 mA cm–2 breakdown) and for 

increased carrier lifetimes (low forward voltage) (2). In devices (4) through (16), 

triangular defects enlarge with current. During forward operation, the p-i-n forward 

voltage was reported to drift positively, presumably because of carrier recombination 

generating stacking faults (recombination-enhanced dislocation glide) from the cathode 

side through the entire “i” layer (17). Stacking faults create a low lifetime (more 

resistive) region under the diode, increasing the forward voltage drop. Stacking faults 

can be reduced or their growth arrested by continuous growth epitaxy, by a sufficiently 

thick buffer layer to prevent drift of minority carriers to lower quality regions (notably 

the substrate/epilayer interface), by no scratches on the chip, and by carrier confinement 

away from sawn edges and other lower quality parts of the chip (18). Forward voltage 

instability arises from stacking faults from basal screw dislocations. However, unfamiliar 

growth on the (1 –1 2 0) plane could orient stacking faults to be a small fraction of the 

device area (3). 

The (19) triangular extended defects that forward current creates are stacking faults in the 

(0 0 0 1) basal plane extending through the entire n (called i) base of the SiC p-i-n diode. 

Carrier recombination gives energy so partial dislocations that are the boundaries of the 

stacking faults move during current. Negative is often denoted by an overline bar; origin 

of some stacking faults is by slip of a <1 0 –1 0> dislocation in the (0 0 0 1) plane 

attributable to (probably shear) stress in the epilayer, forming a stacking fault bound by a 
3

partial dislocation with Burger’s vector b = a/3<1 0 –1 0> or a/3<0 1 –1 0>, possibly 

nucleating from a perfect dislocation with Burger’s vector 1/3<1 1 –2 0>. This gives a 

triangular defect with its base near or at the epilayer surface. These dislocation loops 

have a 90° and 30° dislocation segment with line directions along [1 1 –2 0], [–1 2 –1 0] 

directions and [1 1 –2 0], [2 –1 –1 0] directions, respectively, along the Pierl’s valleys. 

Dissociation of a screw dislocation yields a C and a Si partial; one is much more mobile 

and moves along the Pierl’s valleys <2 –1 –1 0>, so the stacking fault starts to expand 

like a trapezoid; then the epilayer height limits expansion to triangular. The fact that 

trapezoid stacking faults are sometimes outside the diode indicates different or multiple 

origins for the expanding stacking fault. A second origin of stacking faults is as singlelayer Shockley faults with Burger’s vector of 1/3<1 –1 0 0>; the built-in stress drives 

deformation while the electron–hole recombination provides the activation energy for 

motion of a leading partial dislocation which causes triangular stacking faults. Growth of 

the stacking fault as a single dislocation loop with a Burger’s vector a/3<1 –1 0 0> starts 

at the surface and forms a rhombic or triangular fault. Dislocation loops may nucleate at 

threading screw dislocations and basal plane dislocations, at the top interface and at the 

bottom interface with the substrate. These stacking faults are formed with a higher 

threshold and preferably at the highest electron plasma density contact. 

A second type of stacking fault is formed when threading edge dislocations with Burger’s 

vector 1/3<1 1 –2 0> bend along the substrate/epitaxial basal plane during epitaxy, 

obtaining a screw character. If they are perfect dislocations, they dissociate into two 30°

Shockley partial dislocations, 1/3[0 1 –1 0] and 1/3[1 0 –1 0], close together forming 

trapezoid stacking faults. The third, non-dominant origin of stacking faults is 

dissociation of dislocations along [1 –1 0 0] at the p-n interface. With Burger vector <1 1 

–2 0>, these rare dislocations are misfit dislocations with a pure edge component and a 

large extension and are usually terminated at other (such as screw) dislocations. 

Sometimes, these have dissociated, as perfect 1/3[1 1 –2 0] dislocations into 1/3[1 0 –1 0] 

+ 1/3[0 1 –1 0] Shockley partial dislocations. Future understanding and improvements 

are expected. 

Commercial SiC Schottky diodes are beginning to compete with Si power diodes. 

Gallium nitride (GaN) power devices are not on GaN wafers of as good a quality as SiC 

and are not as developed. With high production volume and proper engineering, Si 

devices proved to be very reliable. Having only one isotope of Si, as in a thin surface 

layer, would improve its thermal conductivity slightly from 1.5 W/cm°C; we do not know 

of its commercial usage in Si devices. Otherwise, power devices in Si are close to mature 

within Si’s smaller material performance parameters. Compared to Si, the higher doping 

in the SiC base (20), along with deeper ionization level of impurity giving lower ionized 

doping in the emitter and end regions, cause minority carrier injection from the base into 

the emitter and end regions to dominate forward conduction at much lower current 
4

densities than in Si. Thus, at a fraction of rated current, the reverse recovery charge 

(charge in the base) stops increasing and the emitter and end region recombination 

currents dominate. The temperature dependence of the band-gap describes that of the 

diode saturation current and forward voltage. 

Theory (21) describing reverse recovery of a power p-i-n diode (the base is long in Si) 

begins with forward current in the high-level injection state having injected a large 

concentration of carriers in the base region. Then the newly reversed voltage starts to 

sweep out most of the stored carriers at the junction edge and proceeding toward the 

middle of the base. An electric field is built up by this mostly swept-out space charge 

region. During this, carriers from the injected large concentration of the base region flow 

by diffusion to the lower concentration at the junction edge. There they support the 

maximum constant reverse current. Modeled as Vrev/Rload, this is larger than the 

forward current since Vrev is large and is many times larger than carrier recombination 

current. In the space charge region, the concentration of carriers is much lower than the 

“injected large” concentration, and the carriers travel at their maximum velocity. Then 

current becomes only a small fraction of that after the excess carriers in the base are 

swept out; recombination of remaining excess carriers in the base region causes the long 

tail of small current. The much higher breakdown field of SiC permits a shorter base to 

reduce the reverse recovery charge and time. Schottky and JBS diodes conduct as 

majority carrier diodes with almost no minority carriers to recombine; thus, any tail is 

much smaller and in SiC disappears rapidly. At 3 × 1014 cm–3 doping, the hole minority 

carrier lifetime was reported (22) as being as great as 1.55 μs but may be much shorter in 

a poorer layer between the p+ and base in the p+n0n diode. Upon turn-on with a high 

di/dt, p-i-n diodes can have forward voltage overshoot before injection of the large 

concentration of carriers is complete, but we did not observe much. SiC Schottky and, 

with better reverse current-voltage, JBS diodes are designed for fast switching speed with 

small switching loss, low forward voltage drop, and high temperature capability; they 

would be favored as a free-wheeling diode in a motor drive. 

An earlier description (23) of p-i-n reverse recovery notes that the impurity distribution 

on the p-doped side is more important for higher b = μe/μh, which is 3 in Si but 7.5 in 

4H-SiC. Conduction carriers in high-level injection have a nearly uniform concentration, 

so the sweeping out of charge carriers occurs from two sides. SiC diodes for better 

ohmic contacts and higher mobility use n-type wafers; in Si, this has reverse recovery 

current decaying soon but slowly, and switching takes relatively longer. By application 

of external negative voltage, the load current in the reverse direction draws injected 

carriers backward and out. In the first period of time, the equal carrier concentrations are 

decreasing to thermal equilibrium at the n border of the space-charge zone; the p-n

junction is still forward biased. Initially, the ratio of gradient of carrier concentrations at 

the p-i boundary to that at the i-n boundary is about –b. The concentration at the p-i
5

boundary reaches 0 sooner than that at the i-n boundary. Doping may influence its 

duration. The period ends when the hole and electron concentrations on the n border of 

the space-charge zone reach their thermal equilibrium so the space-charge zone has zero 

forward voltage. In a second period with less definite ending, the space-charge zone 

widens by further withdrawal of the stored electrons to the p side (and holes to the n side) 

at an advancing sweep-out boundary, and the p-n junction becomes reverse biased with 

the space-charge zone having almost all the voltage. In the middle of the zone with 

carrier concentration still at the high-level injection level (doping not dominant, 

especially for narrow space-charge zone), the absolute value of ih is iRμh/(μe + μh) and 

of ie is a larger iRμe/(μe + μh). At the moving boundary on the p side, ih jumps by 

iRμe/(μe + μh), sweeping out with such a current (ie jumps by minus that). At the other 

moving boundary on the n side, ie jumps by iRμh/(μe + μh) and ih by minus that. The 

fraction b2/(b2 + 1) of the voltage develops on the p side, for Si 0.9 and for SiC >0.98. 

The third period has the carrier concentrations decay with almost no sweeping-out 

current. Practical thickness is larger than the carrier diffusion length so the decay is 

recombination (not a small diffusion current) with the lifetime as the time constant to the 

final steady state distributions. In all these periods, there is recombination and sweeping 

out of carriers by reverse current; if initially large, these dominate the first and second 

periods. The carrier concentration is larger near the p than near the n since μh/μe is less 

than 1. Displacement current is negligible; total current is i. At the n border (x = d) of 

the intrinsic layer, the electron diffusion current equals the electron field current at i/2. 

At the p border, they are + and - (μe/μh)i/2. With forward current density iF and 

ambipolar diffusion length L = (2μeμhkT/q(μe + μh))0.5, in steady state 

n(x) = τ iF[cosh(x/L)/sinh(d/L) – {(μe - μh)/(μe + μh)}sinh(x/L)/cosh(d/L)]/2qL. 

Our previous projects packaged and tested 4H-SiC gate-turnoff thyristors with flyback 

p-i-n diodes, tested JBS diodes, and compared Si and SiC diodes (24) through (31). 

3. Packaging and Commonly Used Materials 

Many materials are available for the manufacturing and packaging of microelectronic 

components, devices, and modules (see table 1). A few factors for choosing substrates 

and die attach materials are cost, size constraints, inter-metallic compatibility, thermal 

and electrical characteristics, junction operating temperature, resistance to thermal 

transients and mechanical shock, and the product reliability in the environment where it 

will be used. 
6

Table 1. Properties of materials used to package microelectronic components. 

Material 

Linear coefficient of 

thermal expansion 

(ppm/°C) 

Thermal 

conductivity 

(W/cm°C) 

Melting point 

(eutectic °C) Source 

SiC 4.2 in-plane 

4.68 c axis 3 – 3.8 - Cree, Inc. 

Si 4.1 1.5 - Micrel Assoc. 

aluminum nitride (AlN) 4.7 1.8 - Marketech International 

alumina (Al2O3) 6.9 0.25 Micrel Assoc. 

AuSn (80/20) 16 0.57 – 0.58 280 Cookson Electronics and 

Indium Corp. 

AuGe (88/12) 13 0.44 356 Cookson Electronics and 

Indium Corp. 

AuSi (97/3) 12 0.27 363 Indium Corp. 

Epo-Tek P-1011 37 0.0129 - Epoxy Tech. 

Both AlN (polycrystalline) and alumina (polycrystalline Al2O3) are commonly used, 

available, and generally economical as substrates. The major difference is the superior 

thermal conductivity of AlN, an advantage for applications where high temperature and 

thermal stress are expected. 

These materials have many uses in the electronics industry, such as direct die attachment 

with wire bond connections, flip chip applications, and standard surface mount soldered 

components. Both are mechanically sturdy and can be manufactured to meet customer 

specifications. Additionally, they can be metallized by standard processes such as thin 

film deposition and thick film screening. 

As with substrate materials, there are many types of die attach methods and products. A 

variety of commonly used eutectic Au alloy solders is available: Au80-Sn20, Au88-

Ge12, and Au97Si3 as solder preforms. Eutectic AuSn is also readily available in paste 

form. All these Au alloy solders are useful when both electrical conductivity and a strong 

mechanical attachment are needed from the back side of the die to the substrate. 

The AuSn melting (eutectic) temperature is 280 oC, AuGe is 356 oC, and AuSi is 363 oC; 

these differences are beneficial when packaging must be completed in several steps. For 

instance, AuSi may be used for die attach, AuGe may be used to attach leads, and AuSn 

may be used to seal the package; this should not disturb the previously placed parts since 

the process temperature lowers with each alloy. 
7

Epoxy is another material that is commonly used for packaging microelectronic devices. 

It is available in many forms including one-part, two-part, electrically isolating, 

electrically and thermally conductive, Ag filled, Ni filled, Al filled, heat cured, and room 

temperature cured, just to name a few. Most of these epoxies can be machine or 

manually dispensed or silkscreen printed onto the substrate. Some epoxies withstand 

temperatures as great as 500 oC, which makes them useful die attach materials, especially 

for SiC devices. 

4. Packaging Process With Our Choice of Materials 

4.1 Substrate Material Compatible With SiC Devices 

In some cases, the same packaging methods and materials that are used for Si devices can 

be used for SiC. However, if SiC devices are used in high power and possibly high 

ambient temperature applications, the operating temperature may exceed the capability of 

the Si packaging, and device failure would be imminent. 

We conducted research, testing, and evaluation of SiC devices, especially 4H-SiC crystal. 

Fabrication of the module required materials that withstand high temperature and have 

adequate thermal conductivity away from a device to lower its temperature, improving its 

performance and longevity. Adequate thermal conductivity also reduces expansion and 

thermal shock from a device’s sudden heat surge. 

AlN was the substrate chosen for this module because of its physical and thermal 

properties. The thermal conductivity is very high, and the coefficient of thermal 

expansion (CTE) almost equals that of the SiC (see table 1). These characteristics 

maximize the thermal conductivity for direct active device attachment; this and the close 

match of CTE minimizes thermal and physical stress on the packaged device. 

4.2 Metallization of Substrate Material 

The ceramic-like AlN substrate was 2.54 cm square and 0.0635 cm thick. It was thin 

film patterned with Ti 30 nm, Pt 30 nm, and Au 1 μm in an electron beam evaporator 

system to create the anode and cathode connection pads. Layers of Ti/Pt/Au, when 

deposited on AlN, act as a chemically inert, thermally stable electrode to which leads, 

devices, and wire bonds can be attached. 

The pad that connects the anode of each device was 1 cm by 1.75 cm; this is the pad used 

for die attach. The pads that connect the cathodes were 0.5 cm square. To prevent 

voltage breakdown, the connection pads are isolated by a 0.2-cm gap of exposed AlN. 

The module will accommodate as many as four diodes. 
8

For complete compatibility in this packaging process, a top layer of Au is ideal for 

attaching the die, wire bonding, and attaching leads to the AlN package module. The 

back side and bonding pads of the devices being packaged were thin-film patterned with 

a top layer of Au. The connector leads (0.026 cm thick) were plated with Au, and Au 

wire was used for wire bonding. In addition, Au is an excellent conductor that does not 

corrode or oxidize. 

Au by itself does not adhere well to the AlN substrate. However, Ti adheres very well to 

most substrates and metals used in microelectronics packaging; therefore, a thin base 

layer of Ti is deposited on the AlN. Au adheres very well to Ti, and in many 

microcircuits, the two metals are deposited to act as a conductor. However, in high 

temperatures applications, as in this experiment, the inter-metallic bond of the Ti/Au may 

be degraded, which could compromise the electrical conductivity. For high temperature 

applications, a thin barrier layer of Pt is deposited between the Ti/Au to thermally 

stabilize the metals. 

4.3 Attaching Connector Leads 

Dupont’s 5087 Braze Alloy Thick Film Composition was the material chosen to attach 

Au leads to the Ti/Pt/Au patterned AlN. The composition of this braze is Au80/Sn20 

with trace amounts of Cu and Ag; for practical purposes, it is considered eutectic AuSn. 

This thick film composition was chosen for its mechanical strength, electrical properties, 

and thermal conductivity. Even though the operating temperature of the device may 

exceed the 280 oC eutectic temperature of the braze, the thermal conductivity of the AlN 

should significantly lower the lead-to-substrate junction temperature. 

The Au leads were placed along the outer edges of the anode and cathode bonding pads 

on the AlN with a thin layer of the braze paste, about 50 μm. To reflow the paste, the 

package was heated to 340 oC on a hot plate for 45 seconds. The package was slowly 

cooled to room temperature to prevent thermal stress. We removed flux residue by 

cleaning the package in boiling isopropyl alcohol alternated with 10-second intervals in 

an ultrasonic cleaner. 

4.4 Attaching the Diode and Thermistor 

Epo-Tek P-1011 modified polyimide Ag system was used for die attach (referred to as 

epoxy in this report). This epoxy was chosen for several reasons: it is a one-part system, 

the thixotropic paste consistency makes it easy to apply, it cures at low temperatures but 

withstands high temperatures, the CTE and thermal properties were acceptable, and the 

electrical conductivity improves rather than degrades during high temperature aging. 

This material withstands continuous operation at 300 oC and intermittent 500 oC. High 

temperatures were expected in this experiment, possibly in excess of 280 oC at the 
9

device-to-substrate junction. The improved electrical conductivity at elevated 

temperatures was an added advantage for our application. 

A thin layer of epoxy was deposited on the AlN substrate in an area slightly less than the 

dimensions of the die. The device was placed on the wet epoxy and gently pushed down 

to ensure complete coverage on the back side of the die. Pressure was stopped when 

epoxy was visible around the edges of the die. The resulting thickness of the epoxy was 

approximately 25 μm. To cure the epoxy, the AlN was placed in a bench top oven for a 

total of 90 minutes. Curing begins with a 30-minute prebake at 80 oC, immediately 

followed by the final bake of 60 minutes at 150 oC. 

A thermistor, used to measure the module temperature during operation, was attached to 

the top surface of the substrate with Epo-Tek P-1011 epoxy. The reasons for choosing 

this material were basically the same as those for using it as a die attach. Additionally, 

P-1011 works well to bond dissimilar materials. This was critical since the thermistor 

was made of a glass composition and was being attached to a Au surface. In this 

application, the electrical conductivity was not an issue. 

For temperature accuracy, the thermistor should be placed as close as possible to the 

diode. However, since high voltage was introduced during circuit operation, the 

thermistor was placed on the substrate approximately 0.76 cm away from the diode to 

prevent voltage breakdown between the two components. Attachment of the thermistor 

and the diode to the AlN used the same technique; they were attached and baked at the 

same time. 

4.5 Wire Bonding 

Once the diode was attached to the AlN module, electrical connections were made from 

the anode to the pads where connector leads had been attached with Au/Sn braze. The 

connections were made with 25.4-μm Au wire by a Kulicke and Soffa Model 4124 Ball 

Bonder. The cathode is the back of the diode and is directly attached to the module, so 

wire bonding is only needed on the anode. 

Each strand of 25.4-μm Au wire is capable of carrying 0.5 A at ambient temperatures. 

The expected operating current of this diode was 10 A, and the operating temperature 

may have exceeded 150 oC. Because of the elevated operating temperature, we de-rated 

the current carrying value of the Au wire and placed 36 wire bonds per device on 

module3 and module4 (see figures 3, 5, and 6). The bonds were made in a symmetrical 

pattern for even distribution of the current flow across the device surface. In addition, 

they served as a precautionary measure in the event of an unexpected current spike. 
10

4.6 Lessons Learned From Previous Device and Packaging Evaluation 

Using an alumina module that was thin film patterned in the same manner as previously 

discussed, we packaged a high power SiC gate turn-off thyristor (GTO). AuSn braze was 

used for die and lead attach (see figure 1). 

After only a short operating time, the module suffered a catastrophic failure. Upon 

examination of the failed GTO module, we found the device suspended above the 

alumina with all the wire bonds still intact. However, the alumina was cracked and the 

origin appeared to be centered under the GTO. Given the fact that neither the device nor 

the wire bonds were damaged, it is believed the high operating temperature of the GTO 

caused thermal stress on the alumina. It is also believed that the device temperature 

exceeded 280 oC since the AuSn eutectic braze had melted and released the GTO, 

seemingly undamaged, from the substrate. If the braze had not melted, the GTO would 

have remained attached to the alumina, and the device would also have cracked rather 

than detach from the substrate in one piece. This appeared to be a classic example of 

poor thermal conductivity on the part of the alumina. 

Figure 1. Results of poor thermal conductivity. (SiC GTO thyristor on alumina 

module.) 

AlN was the next choice for substrate material after the GTO on alumina module failure. 

The thermal conductivity of the AlN that we used for this module is about 7 times greater 

than alumina, and the CTE is a close match to SiC. The AlN module was thin film 

patterned in the same manner as previously discussed. On this module, we packaged two 

high power SiC diodes (see figure 2). When the module was initially packaged, the two 

Undamaged GTO, 

wire bonds intact, 

suspended above 

broken substrate 
11

Figure 2. Reworked AlN substrate, diodes originally attached with AuSn, reworked with epoxy. 

diodes and the leads were attached with AuSn braze. A thermistor was attached with 

epoxy (center of module, leads were cut off at a later time). 

Device failure occurred during initial testing. Both diodes literally blew off the module, 

leaving charred discolorations in the areas where the wire bonds had hovered over the 

metallized substrate. One of the diodes had detached from the AlN (leaving the shiny 

circle of braze near the bottom left corner of the larger pad). This was a sure indication 

that the temperature at that junction had exceeded 280 oC. The good news was that the 

AlN withstood the high temperature and thermal stress without cracking, unlike the 

alumina. 

We determined that several factors might have led to the failure of these devices. One 

cause might have been voltage breakdown between the anode and cathode of each diode, 

since the wire bonds from the top side of the devices were hovering over the cathode pad. 

The small air gap, formed by the curvature of the wire bonds, may not have been enough 

to withstand the 600 V that were applied to the devices. Another possibility was that the 

operating temperature of the devices was so hot that they simply self-destructed, since the 

devices were operating in a thermally uncontrolled environment, with no efficient means 

of drawing heat away from the package. A temperature reading was not being monitored 

by the thermistor so the actual temperature of the package is unknown. However, we 

know that at least one of the diodes exceeded 280 oC because the device detached from 

the braze and substrate. Also possible, but not probable, was that a breakdown path may 

have been present where the leads of the thermistor hovered above the cathode pad. 

Original thermistor 

New thermistor

Original diode 

New diode 
12

Considering all the possibilities for device failure, the AlN module was reworked with 

two new diodes. The diodes were placed at the edges of the cathode pad to eliminate the 

problem of the hovering wires; only bare AlN was underneath the wire bonds (see 

figure 2). A new thermistor was attached on a separate pad, where its leads would not be 

close to the diode connections, to eliminate the possibility of voltage breakdown. The 

leads from the original thermistor were removed. All attachments were made with the 

epoxy since it would withstand continuous temperatures of 300 oC. The defective diode 

that did not lift off when it failed remained on the module; however, the wire bonds were 

removed. 

The reworked module was placed in the test circuit; this time, a thin layer of heat sink 

compound was applied to the back of the module to improve heat dissipation. The 

module was secured to a flat metal plate. The thermistor was connected to a circuit that 

would monitor the module temperature. The new devices successfully operated at 600 V 

and 4 A per diode. The temperature of the module was maintained at 150 oC. 

Several important lessons were learned here. Avoid placing a diode in a location where 

the wire bonds will hover above the cathode connection pad (back side of the device). 

Ensure that adequate heat dissipation is provided for packaged devices, and monitor the 

temperature of operating devices so the circuit can be shut down if the temperature 

exceeds a safe level. Figure 2 shows the reworked module with two new diodes placed at 

the corners of the large pad. The air gap of 0.2 cm, with no metallization under the wire 

bonds, proved to be adequate for preventing voltage breakdown of these diodes. 

Another lesson learned dealt with the adhesion of the thin film Ti/Pt/Au metallization to 

the AlN substrate. In earlier experiments, we used AlN that was polished with a 2-μin. 

finish and had a glass-like smoothness. Repeatedly, when physical stress was applied, 

the leads that were attached with the AuSn braze popped off the AlN. Our initial thought 

was that the AuSn braze had poor mechanical strength. However, upon examination of 

the leads and substrate we, noticed that the Ti/Pt/Au had completely detached from the 

AlN and was clinging to the braze on the leads. This clearly indicated poor adhesion of 

the thin film metals to the substrate. This problem had not occurred when alumina was 

used as a substrate. Though the degree of polish on the alumina was unknown, its 

appearance was a much less smooth, matte finish. 

We began using AlN that was polished with a 20-μin. finish, having a matte appearance 

similar to the alumina. The adhesion of the Ti/Pt/Au was greatly improved. We believe 

the improvement was attributable to the rougher toothed surface of the 20-μin. finish. 

During thin film deposition, the evaporated metals naturally filled the crevices and 

allowed the metals to grab into the substrate. It is possible to pull the metallization and 

brazed leads off this substrate by applying excessive force. However, pieces of the AlN 

will be broken off and will cling to the metals on the lead. 
13

Trial and error brought us to the module packaging process that was used to successfully 

package, test, and evaluate the SiC diodes shown in figure 3. The diode test results and 

operation of this module are discussed further in this report. The devices are the same 

type of diodes that were packaged in figure 2. 

Figure 3. Completed module in test setup. (Substrate is AlN, diodes attached with epoxy, 

leads attached with AuSn braze.) 

Though the thermal conductivity of the epoxy used for die attach is in fact very poor, it 

withstood the high operating temperature of the diodes and sufficiently transferred heat 

away from the devices. The high thermal conductivity of the AlN substrate proved to be 

adequate for dissipating heat from the operating diodes. 

4.7 Heat Sink and Encapsulation Materials 

Packaging these SiC devices required that we explore suitable packaging materials. In 

some cases, the same packaging methods and materials that are used for Si devices can be 

used for SiC. However, when SiC devices were used in high power and possibly high 

ambient temperature applications, the operating temperature exceeded the capability of 

the Si packaging and failure was imminent. Therefore, for SiC devices to be commonly 

used, packages of materials that will withstand elevated temperatures and –55 oC must be 

engineered and readily producible. We packaged high power SiC diodes on AlN; this 

work was done to demonstrate the performance of such diodes, which operate with 

junctions as hot as 300 oC. 
14

For heat flow, mounting, and encapsulation of packaged devices, some materials and 

their properties are as shown in table 2: 

Table 2. Properties of materials considered to test microelectronic components. 

Material 

Linear coefficient of 

thermal expansion 

(ppm/°C) 

Thermal 

conducti

vity 

(W/cm°C

) 

Breakdown 

field 

(V/cm) 

AlN 4.7 1.8 125,000 

alumina, various purity ~6.9 

0.15-0.2, 

rarely 

0.33 

94,000 

SiC wafer 25 °C 

100 °C 

227 °C 4H 

4.2 in-plane (4.68 c 

axis) 

3.8 n2.9 n+ 

2.3- 2.8 

1.8 nand n+

2,400,000 

parallel to 

c-axis 

4460 epoxy 64 0.0058 218,000 

1531 silicone encapsulant soft 0.0029 197,000 

heat sink compounds: 

AOS HTC-61 silicone 

grease, to 205 °C 0.0258 133,000 

AOS 52027 grease, to 350 °C 0.0075 115,000 

Electrolube HTSP silicone grease, to 200 °C 0.03 180,000 

AOS 57000 grease, to 200 °C 0.0721 conducts 

materials considered with the package: 

Fluorinert 5312 liquid, boils >200 °C 0.007 157,000 

air - - 30,000 

Al 25 2.37 conducts 

Cu 12 4 conducts 

water - 0.0065 conducts 

diamond >13 high 

To obtain a large area for current conduction, our diodes were vertical through the SiC, 

so it was doped and not semi-insulating. Thus, unless in depletion such as in reverse 

bias, SiC material near devices would conduct and lack this high breakdown field. From 
15

AOS1 a heat sink compound HTC-61 was later used. Its thermal conductivity was about 

as high as available but much lower than that of adjacent materials mounted as the 

thermal conduction path, so a layer should be just thick enough to be continuous at an 

interface. The Cotronics 4460 epoxy overcoat-encapsulant for electrical insulation 

withstands 315 °C and overcoated the later testing of module4. The Cotronics 1531 

silicone withstands 343 °C continually and 427 °C briefly; it was rubbery with usable but 

weak adhesion. It was a final coat on the very last measurements of module4 and 

permitted testing to –1200 V. The liquid Fluorinert 5312 has a high breakdown field, and 

since it must be “walled in” to displace air, it was only used to test non-encapsulated 

chips above 600 V at room temperature. Krytox 16350 is more viscous at 3500 

centistokes. The outer package of fielded devices might be cooled by motor oil; 

transformer oil conductivity is 0.018 W/cm°C. 

AlN and our direct device attachment give adequate thermal conductivity—a critical 

property for high power SiC devices that operate at high temperatures. Thermal 

conductivity of SiC is notably high and like other semiconductors, decreases slightly 

faster than 1/(absolute temperature); electrically semi-insulating SiC would have 

economically limited, specialized applications. Materials such as polycrystalline 

diamond or diamond-like films have even more impressive properties for a heat spreader 

close below the chip but are far from commercially available or economical. Pb-free is a 

future consideration. 

5. Electrical Testing 

5.1 General and p-i-n Diodes 

We project that a SiC diode’s package in future power electronics will be cooled to 

150 °C. Then its junction temperature will be perhaps 200° to 250 °C if such operation 

proves reliable. The properties of SiC would enhance the reliable performance of power 

electronics designs. Thus, we examined both the performance to 150 °C and some of the 

vital durability. The diodes in parallel should share equally both forward current and 

reverse recovery current as a function of time; this would permit use of practically all of 

the rated current. Diodes should have parameters such as the current-voltage curve 

narrowly distributed originally and only slightly shifted during operation. Diodes should 

be reliable and rugged, especially during voltage and current transients. 

Cree, Inc. grew our SiC crystal and their epitaxial layers then fabricated the p-i-n (and the 

JBS) diodes, 0.1 cm square, each on a 0.14-cm square chip. The p-i-n were rated 1200 V 

reverse and 5 A forward, but we attempted to be less than 600 V and 4 A of constant 

 1

 Not an acronym. 
16

conduction. SiC p-i-n diode chips on a module were electrically tested for reverse 

recovery and basic durability. An inductive “ring-down” reverse recovery apparatus was 

used to measure sharing of forward current and reverse current; changing the load 

resistance or the voltage would change the current. Late in this testing, a printed circuit 

board was used for other than the resistor and inductor. Reverse recovery was measured 

at various voltages, currents, and temperature to 150 °C. Currents near the rating of a 

diode would have practical use and were emphasized. Another test apparatus was a 

100-kHz DC-to-DC buck converter on a printed circuit board with an inductor capable of 

accepting to 500 V and outputting to 100 V (5 to 1 reduction) and to 10 A; brief operation 

was used. JBS diodes have closely spaced, alternating stripes of Schottky junction and pn junction. Forward constant voltage in other JBS diodes has the Schottky areas conduct 

at almost as low a voltage and with comparable low series resistance as would an allSchottky diode of the same diode area. Reverse constant voltage expands and merges 

horizontally together the p-n junctions’ individual depletion regions. This is almost the 

depletion of a reverse biased p-n junction, and other JBS have almost the same low 

reverse leakage current and high breakdown voltage. For our JBS the DC-to-DC buck 

converter was used for brief running times. 

A module had two p-i-n diode chips mounted, diode 1 near the left and diode 2 near the 

right edge. A small thermistor (RTD, Omega F3105) was mounted near the middle of the 

top edge. A curve tracer first tested and recorded the current versus voltage curve of each 

diode in a module to 4 A (at 3.75 to 3.9 V forward, within 20 seconds reached at least 

100 °C) and to 600 V reverse at 5 μA/division for leakage. Two medium bindery clips 

then clamped the module to near the edge of the hot plate; the clips were insulated from 

the cathode connection. A heater on the length of the rear of the hot plate could raise it to 

a selected temperature. The hot plate was a Wakefield aluminum chill plate (not liquid 

cooled), 30 cm by 12.7 cm by 0.635 cm thick with sides. The module had been designed 

for heat removal from the rear, but heat sink compound would have let it move and slide 

off the plate; therefore, it was not then used under the p-i-n module. 

For diode reverse recovery measurement, the circuit in figure 4 had the power supply’s 

positive voltage connected to the cathode and to the load resistor in series with the 

inductor, initially 1 mH with an iron core. An inductor measured to go through zero 

inductance at a higher frequency would make less of a possible contribution to ringing or 

have high impedance; later ones were ferrite. The anode went to the nMOS (n-channel 

metal oxide semiconductor) transistor drain and to the other end of the inductor; the MOS 

source and the power supply’s negative were at ground potential. The power nMOS was 

Directed Energy/ IXYS Inc. DE475-102N21A rated 1000 V, 21 A, and 30 MHz, 

adequate if properly heat sinked. A 13-kΩ resistor, later 1.2 MΩ, from gate to source 

prevented static overvoltage. The 2-cm by 1.85-cm thermally conductive area of the 
17

 

Figure 4. (Upper) circuit for reverse recovery 

and (lower) circuit for DC-to-DC 

buck converter. 

MOS was initially on an air-coolable heat sink 12 cm by 5 cm by 1.1 cm high with 10 

fins; it rises by natural convection, 5.3 °C/W and at 250 linear feet/minute 2.2 °C/W. 

By module2, the gate-to-source voltage was wired to a different source tab than was the 

drain-to-source voltage. The signal generator had a 100-ns rise time and fall time. 

Simple hard switching was performed; its stresses should have been within the 

specifications for the SiC diodes. When the MOS was pulsed on for 588 μs, the inductor 

current increased to near its steady state Vsupply/Rload; then the MOS was turned off for 

about 4.7 μs. The slight decrease of current in the inductor as exp(–Rload t/L) developed 

across the inductor a voltage forward biasing the diode. The inductor current freewheeled in the forward direction through the diode and through Rload. Then the MOS 
18

was pulsed on again for 588 μs and the diode reverse recovered to forward current; this 

current waveform shows reverse recovery. The two brief pulses, when not repeated for a 

while, did not generate noticeable heat energy in the diode. The main DC power supply 

had its output voltage stiffened near the diodes by two in-series 1100-μF electrolytic 

capacitors 550C112T450 with in-parallel two 0.1-μF ceramic capacitors. A Tektronix 

model TDS1

5104 digital oscilloscope measured to 1.25 gigasamples/s per each of four 

channels. Tektronix model TCP1202 current probes were rated DC to 50 MHz or 7-ns 

rise time and had a 17-ns internal delay to the output. Perfluoroalkoxyl Teflon2 tubing 

around the conductors to the diodes ensured enough insulation at temperature for the 

current probes. The differential voltage probe P5205A was rated DC to 100 MHz and 

7 pF. 

Unlike Si, SiC diode reverse current and reverse recovery charge did not rise much with 

temperature. A fully reverse-biased diode junction may have added some of the 

capacitance for minor ringing. In a reverse recovery apparatus, different causes of 

currents give distinctive shapes of current (32); a pure capacitive load is damped 

oscillation, MOS gate bouncing is lopsided, and reverse recovery has a negative area 

more constant than oscillating. 

The gate drive resistor and thus the fall time of the current were minimized consistent 

with moderately little ringing. Improvements of apparatus did not seem necessary to 

obtain data when measurements were taken. Experience showed future efforts where 

apparatus could be further optimized. A reverse recovery apparatus should be for high 

power and for high frequency of at least 0.35/(risetime 10% to 90%) or a few tens of 

megahertz and for JBS diodes higher. At frequencies observed, the current was confined 

(the skin effect) to near the surface, increasing the resistance and impedance. Off-module 

connections of stranded wire large enough in diameter for tens of meters at 60 Hz would 

in retrospect have been replaced by high current traces of wide Cu strip. A HP4194A 

gain-phase analyzer measured the impedance versus frequency and the frequency at 

which it went through zero for passive parts like the inductor. The overall layout could 

carefully route the returning high current to be directly over or under that outgoing 

current for reduced loop area and inductance. A DC-to-DC converter (33) needs “lay out 

separation of the ground path of output R to output C, the path output C to diode (to 

inductor), and the path diode to MOS to input. Each has different spectral behavior; each 

carries high current.” 

The MOS contacts are aluminum-like 0.78-cm wide drain tab and gate tab and four 

0.41-cm source tabs spreading current for acceptably lower impedance. Copper strip 

connections could be made to them. Current could flow among multiple MOS in parallel 

 1

Not an acronym. 

2

Teflon® is a registered trademark of E.I. duPont de Nemours & Co., Inc. 
19

so that each would not fail below 1000 V. For shorter connections, a compact heater 

must be situated nearby, such as vertically above the circuit board, and a water-cooled 

plate for MOS and the module must be near the other components. This could be in the 

middle of the circuit board. 

Just before reverse recovery, module2 with negligible heat sinking and 6.9 Ω load at 

50 V had in the left diode 0.4 A and the right in parallel 0.8 A; at 100 V, 1 A and 1.45 A; 

at 150 V, 1.6 A and 2.2 A; at 200 V, 2.1 A and 2.9 A; at 250 V, 3.1 A and 3.4 A; and at 

300 V, 4.1 A and 3.8 A, becoming closer but not equal enough. For 75 °C mounting 

plate and 200 V, the left diode was 2.5 A and right 2.1 A; it was soon remade into 

module3. For module4 at 450 V and 150 °C, the left diode went from constant 3.4 A to 

0 A at -30 V in 28 ns, then to peak –8.48 A at 133 V in 44 ns more, then up to 0 A at a 

492-V brief peak in 41 ns more with negligible current tail. 

The DC-to-DC buck converter circuit is also in figure 4. To give DC output voltage 1/5 

of the DC power input voltage, the clock signal turned the power MOS transistor on for 

nominally 20% of the time, and the diode reverse recovered then continued to be reverse 

biased. The inductor current increased. When the MOS was turned off, the slight 

decrease of current in the inductor developed a voltage across the inductor to put forward 

bias on the diode, so the inductor current took the available path of forward through the 

diode (free-wheeling in the closed loop of the inductor and diode). The MOS source 

voltage was at the DC power input voltage for 2 μs and practically -3 V for 8 μs, 

changing rapidly between these voltages. The gate voltage was on top of this source 

voltage, necessitating batteries as a floating power source. 

Capacitors stiffening the main DC power supply included two 1100 μF in series. In 

parallel with these was a 0.1-μF ceramic disc capacitor; its equivalent series resistance 

was less than 0.1 Ω and its capacitance went through 0 at 2.4 MHz. Between the power 

supply and ground pins of the IR4427 gate driver was 0.1 μF in parallel with a 0.01-μF 

ceramic disc; its capacitance went through 0 μF at 10 MHz. 

A 2-μF polypropylene pulse capacitor 940C10W2K went through 0 μF at 480 kHz; the 

DC-to-DC buck converter’s output was across one in parallel with two 0.1 μF. The DCto-DC converter’s 500-μH inductor was rated to decrease a slight amount at 7 A, which 

should have been more, and went through 0 μH at 1.04 MHz. Allowing some for the 

series impedance of the inductor, the current free-wheeling forward through the diodes 

saw Rload less than 100 Ω so the current decrease as exp(-Rload t/L) would be small 

during the reverse recovery time of as much as 100 ns. The DC-to-DC buck converter’s 

optocoupler was briefly Agilent A3101 (rated to 0.4 A), with a power supply of two 9-V 

batteries in series stiffened by a 0.1-μF and two 0.01-μF capacitors. 
20

The DC-to-DC converter was re-arranged onto a custom printed circuit board to reduce 

stray inductance and to be mechanically portable. Module2 initially was run continually 

while the supply voltage was manually turned up from 0 V in several seconds, but diode 

heating was excessive because of the poor heat sinking. On a 75 °C hot plate with the 

left diode alone at 135 V and 2 A, the thermistor soon reached 100 °C; at 195 V, it soon 

reached 113 °C, and at 250 V, it soon reached 150 °C. Heat flow dissipated somewhat 

before reaching the thermistor, so it reached a lower temperature than the chip 

temperature. Roughly calculating, 3.8 V forward at 4 A gave 15 W; this was dissipated 

over a SiC chip area 0.14 cm square or 0.02 cm2 for 750 W/cm2. Taking thermal 

conductivity at temperature as 2 W/cm°C meant a 370 °C/cm gradient across thickness 

0.063 cm for a rise of 23 °C through the thickness of the chip. 

Module2 received a new left chip and was renamed module3. It was operated for just 

enough cycles (11 then 19) of the 100-kHz pulse to settle toward steady state but not 

noticeably heat the module. At 400 V, the left diode began at 4 A and ended at 3.6 A 

(–6.25 A reverse peak); the right began at 4.2 A and decreased faster to end at 3.1 A 

(–4.9 A reverse peak). A diode on the curve tracer had approximately a 0.2-V knee 

below the listed forward voltage, above which the current was significant and fitted with 

the listed resistance. The left forward was fitted as (the slope gave this resistance) 2.8 V 

+ 0.25 Ω, at 3.8 V, 4 A; the right was 2.8 V + 0.31 Ω, at 4.05 V, 4 A. Reverse at 600 V 

was at most 0.5 μA for each; unacceptable would exceed 10 to 20 μA. Reverse was also 

fitted with a knee voltage and series resistance. 

At 400 V, the left diode had a 4.3 A peak, and the right had a 3.5 A peak and soon blew; 

the old right diode on the curve tracer at 300 V reverse was a leaky 15 to 20 μA and saw 

Au beginning to be lost at edge or corner. Cree, Inc., did not adequately passivate the 

chip top near the edge, so our not-well-cooled chip reached high temperature and Au 

began to creep back away from the edges. Also we saw melted wires there (see figure 5). 

The diode was replaced and the module renamed as module4. At the within-rated 

currents used, the chips’ performance otherwise was reasonably durable, unless our wire 

bonds also melted because of overheating in our module. 
21

Figure 5. Module3 diode, Au melted from edge. 

Module4 was operated for 19 cycles of the DC-to-DC converter, with a 13.7-Ω load at up 

to 450 V at 25 °C hot plate; then at 450 V, the diodes were 25 °C, 75 °C, 100 °C, and 

150 °C at which the left diode had a broad peak of 3.9 A and ended at 3.5 A, and the right 

had initial peak 3.7 A and decreased to 2.3 A. Current was not shared equally by the 

diodes; the left forward current initially spiked to at least 2.5× the final value (exchanging 

the left and right wires attributed this to that diode) and settled by cycle 19. The right 

initial spike was only twice the final value. Module4 was operated continuously; the 

MOS transistor with no fan on the circuit board failed in 2 minutes at 350 V. 

At 300 V and 83 °C, the left diode current began at 2.2 A, increased to 2.9 A, at 7.7 μs 

was a final 2.6 A, then in reverse recovery had an -8.4 A peak; the right initial 3 A 

decreased to final 1.4 A and reverse was -3.4 A peak. The diodes consistently had 

unequal current and at least the right had an initial spike. The left diode at 500 V reverse 

leaked 7 μA. 

Module4 for brief 19-cycle operation at 400 V was as shown in table 3. 
22

Table 3. Module4 at 400 V. 

Forward (A) Reverse peak 

(A) 

Qrr (nC) t

rr (ns) Reverse recovery 

energy (μJ) 

Peak (W) 

25 °C left 3.2 

right 2.3 

 –5.6 

 –3.6 

 162 

 122.8 

 64 

 47.7 

25 (if 100 kHz 2.5 W) 

14 

 1600 

 800 

75 °C left 3 

right 2.3

 –6.4 

 –5 

 266 

 204 

 64 

 67.5 

44.6 

25 

 2200 

 1100 

100 °C left 2.9 

right 2.4 

 –7.4 

 –5.6 

 319 

 250 

 70.9 

 73.8 

55 

32 

 2500 

 1300 

150 °C left 2.8 

right 2.4

 –8 

 –7.1 

 418 

 418 

 87 

 85 

76 

76 

 2900 

 2800 

Note the Qrr increased to 2.6× and 3.4× from room temperature to these temperatures, the 

trr increased to 1.36× and 1.78×, and the reverse peak/forward current ratio increased from 

1.75 and 1.56 to 2.9. In this example, the diode performance was not production-worthy 

but at 150 °C the parameters became closer to equal, and it was not near failing. Unlike 

Si, the reverse recovery charge and DC reverse leakage current did not increase far more 

to be out of useful bounds. A few other cases with much worse peaks of reverse current 

and power could overheat the local junction and possibly lose durability. Continuous 

operation overheated the MOS and caused high temperature of the diodes; a cooling fan 

was explored. The left diode at 600 V reverse leaked 10 μA but cooling of the MOS 

needed more than convection. An 11-cm Papst 4600X fan rated at 20 W was added 

parallel to the MOS heat sink fins; continuous operation at 300 V made the diodes reach 

111 °C in 20 minutes, and at 350 V, they quickly reached 160 °C. The diode junction 

was obviously at a higher temperature. The left diode reverse on the curve tracer 

increased to 7 μA curving up at 500 V, so we did not go higher. 

A WS81 thermistor was bolted at one side of the MOS so it may have read low. The 

MOS heat sink’s bottom was raised 0.3 cm above the circuit board to be in the air flow. 

This planar test assembly had non-potted (non-encapsulated) diodes on an AlN module 

on a non-heated hot plate. Air cooling would remove diode heat from near where it was 

generated and was mistakenly thought to be effective. Fans considered were 

ComairRotron Major (235 cubic feet/minute or 0.8-inch static pressure no-flow, 1320 

linear feet/minute, 30 W) and Tarzan (350 cfm or 0.8 inch, 1450 lfm, 90 W), and a 

Dayton centrifugal blower (980 cfm or 1.05 inch, 3500 lfm, 455 W). A ComairRotron 

Major fan 7 cm from the MOS cooled better with flow angled down 25°. 

We photographed the new, lower right diode of module4 (see figure 6). 
23

Figure 6. New, lower right diode of module4. 

Air cooling was only gradually increased; continuous operation to a few minutes with 

heat removal by air cooling was used. A module clamped on the hot plate without heat 

sink compound was not well coupled to its thermal mass. At 300 V one Major fan 7 cm 

from the MOS and only tangentially on diodes made the MOS 31 °C and diodes 72 °C. 

At 350 V in 20 minutes, temperatures were MOS 35.5 °C, diodes 90.5 °C and currents 

left 3.2 A and -8 A peak reverse, right 3.5 A and -3.6 A, total 6.2 A (decreases linearly to 

4.6 A at end of forward) and –11.5 A. On the curve tracer, the left reverse at 400 V was 

5 μA, at 500 V 5 μA, and at 600 V 14 μA. At 400 V, the diode soon neared 150 °C, so 

the one Major fan was angled to include the diodes. At 350 V, the MOS was soon 48 °C 

and the diodes 116 °C; then on the curve tracer, the left reverse at 300 V was 10 μA 

which was getting worse; the entire experience was that the diodes in reverse were not 

always stable. During all testing performed, the p-i-n diodes had forward curve tracer 

curves (not in-circuit performance) basically stable and similar, which is necessary for 

parallel sharing of current or as standard parts. 

One Major fan on the MOS and one on the diodes at 300 V gave stable 38 °C MOS and 

91 °C diode, at 320 V 37 °C and 106 °C, but at 340 V the diodes sharply increased within 

30 seconds to 160 °C. Diodes were acceptable on the curve tracer, then in the DC-to-DC 

converter would stay at stable temperature, so this degradation apparently went away. 

These diodes were not stable within claimed specifications; for production quality, the 

worst case measurements should have parameters with at most 1/3 of the variation 

usually observed. Reduction of such observed incidents of poor performance to a very 
24

few per million or billion diode hours would be preferable. The old left diode no longer 

used was measured on the curve tracer as working with little reverse leakage. A Major 

fan on the MOS and a Tarzan on the diodes gave at 300 V the MOS 32 °C and diodes 

66 °C; at 320 V, 34 °C and 71 °C; and at 340 V, 38 °C, and 77 °C. At 300 V and 83 °C, 

currents for the left diode were 2.2 A initial forward, soon settled to 2.8 A, 2.6 A final, 

and -8.4 A reverse recovery peak, and for the right were 3 A initial, 1.4 A final 7.7 μsec 

later, and -3.4 A. At 340 V, the left maximum was 3.4 A and –8.8 A, right was 3.4 A and 

–3.6 A, total 5.8 A, ending at 4.6 A and –12.5 A. The left at 600 V reverse increased to 

9 μA then 14 μA leakage. Even though brief, a peak reverse recovery current notably 

higher than the forward current meant a power loss undesirably many times larger. A 

minority of diodes at least sometimes developed this.

Each channel had its vertical sensitivity increased to use most of the oscilloscope’s 256 

vertical digitization levels over 10.24 graticule divisions. Horizontally, as many as 

12,500 continuous sampling points were used, and 1 μs/horizontal division displayed one 

cycle of operation. The oscilloscope briefly measured and averaged 100 (later 50) 

sweeps to minimize noise to within digitization error; this was a less successful attempt to 

measure somewhat accurate forward voltage. Continuous operation at 340 V with diodes 

75 °C was recorded. Forward voltage exceeded 19 V for 18.4 ns and 10 V for 53.2 ns; 

the left diode began at 2.8 A, reached a broad peak of 3.4 A, and ended at 3.05 A; the 

right diode began at 3.4 A and decayed with 1 μs time constant to end at 1.58 A. The 

total current began at 6.05 A and ended at 4.6 A. Current sharing in the diodes in parallel 

was not good in steady state or as a function of time during a cycle in the circuit. 

Improvement at least in steady state would be required for high volume production and 

use. Well-behaving SiC diodes and their smaller reverse recovery charge reduced a 

significant to dominant portion of the diode heat generated. The left diode was -8.6 A 

peak, Qrr 452 nC, 169 ns, and 22.5 W average; the right diode was -3.5 A, 192 nC, 

217.6 ns, and 9.9 W. In the DC-to-DC converter the intervals and power loss during 

them were as shown in table 4. 

Table 4. Contributions to power loss. 

Interval Left during 

this 

(W) 

Contribution to 

total (W) 

Right during 

this 

(W) 

Contribution to 

total (W) 

forward I and V 13 10 5.5 6.4 

forward I, reverse V 21 0.67 8.3 0.02 

reverse I and V 

(rev rec) 

 462 7.8 106 2.3 

little I, large reverse 

V 

 21.2 4.6 5.6 1.2 

When peak reverse current increased 2.45×, the contribution to reverse recovery power 

loss increased by 3.4×. At 375 V with each diode less than 4 A at 83 °C with a Tarzan 
25

fan, the MOS failed at 38 °C after 2 minutes with a Major fan. The diodes were 

acceptable forward and at 600 V reverse with the left 3 μA, right 0 μA. The MOS heat 

sink was improved (Wakefield 395-2AB 14 cm by 12.7 cm by 6.35 cm high, 12 fins 

down, 8 fins up, convection 0.9 °C/W natural, 0.32 °C/W at 500 lfm). More effort 

prevented the MOS from burning up; on the curve tracer the left forward was 2.8 V + 

0.26 Ω, 3.85 V, 4 A; right was 2.8 V + 0.26 Ω, 3.85 V, 4 A; left reverse 500 V <0.5 μA, 

600 V, 3.2 μA slightly better; right 620 V <0.5 μA. After the end of this work, the MOS 

was placed on a water-cooled plate. 

We changed batteries to two 12 V in series for abundant long-lasting gate voltage and 

optocoupler to Agilent HCNW3120 so the MOS reached fully on (rate of rise was 

controlled to reduce ringing) to minimize its conduction heat loss. The MOS gate was 

driven through 25 Ω and then later 50 Ω for less ringing. Module was reworked with a 

new thermistor; the left forward was 2.7 V + 0.28 Ω, at 3.8 V, 4 A; right was 2.8 V + 

0.3 Ω, at 4 V, 4 A. The left reverse was at 350 V, 0 μA; at 400 V, 1.5 μA; above 420 V, 

18 MΩ slope; 600 V, 10 μA was not the worst; right was 600 V <0.5 μA. Module4 for 

350 V quick continuous operation diodes had a peak 190 °C and current ended left 4.3 A 

and right 2.3 A, reverse peak was left –17.1 A with 80% of diode’s energy loss there and 

right –5.6 A with 50% of diode’s loss there. 

With a centrifugal blower on the diodes (no heat sink compound, thermal mass of hot 

plate was not contacted) and a Tarzan on MOS, an averaging of 50 sweeps to minimize 

noise needed operation for 20 to 30 seconds to stabilize. The diodes at 300 V exceeded 

150 °C seen 5 seconds after reduced voltage to 0, and at 350 V exceeded 190 °C or so, 

which affected them. Even the Dayton blower did not air cool as much as desirable. 

Curve tracer measured left forward 2.8 V + 0.31 Ω, at 4.05 V, 4 A; right forward 3 V + 

0.3 Ω, at 4.2 V, 4 A; the left reverse 420 V + 26 MΩ, at 400 V, 0.5 μA; at 600 V, 7 μA 

was slightly better, and right reverse 600 V <0.5 μA. 

Module4 at 350 V the diodes forward conduction began rising slowly, the left as 4.25(1- 

exp(t/1 μs)) A and the right as 7exp(-t/2.5 μs) A reaching 2.2 A so current shifted rapidly 

to the left diode; total current decreased slowly and current sharing was unequal. Left 

diode had Qrr 1642 nC and trr 297 ns with 3× the reverse current and 6Χ the reverse 

recovery power loss as the right, and right diode had 464 nC and 180 ns. The diodes 

were definitely further from useful uniformity or reasonably specifiable range at this 

much higher temperature, but they were durable. We had uncertain explanations for such 

uneven sharing of p-i-n current near reverse recovery. Guesses included effect of 

previous temperature excursions that exceeded 200 °C and of previous (non-noticed) 

current excursions that caused that heating, causing perhaps cumulative degradation in 

100 kHz switching. More certain were inadequate design of the diode and/or nonuniformity as produced. Parasitic inductance or slightly non-optimized design in our 
26

early test apparatus were perhaps a contribution but not the main cause. Our 

improvements in cooling and heat sinking and avoidance of temperature spikes were 

included as realized but sometimes after they were needed. 

To increase the voltage rating, a Cotronics silicone thick passivation was coated on the 

p-i-n Module4 front. It adhered but seemingly not strongly; therefore, we avoided any 

mechanical peeling force on it. The gate signal was put through a HP8112A pulse 

generator, giving a 10-ns rise time. The gate drive resistor was 50 Ω to reduce ringing to 

only one 50% overshoot peak of diode reverse voltage, not 16 Ω at 100% or 33 Ω at 64% 

and two peaks. The resulting 0.28-μs exponential rise (and fall) time constant in gate 

voltage means the MOS for DC-to-DC buck converter was slower to turn on fully and 

thus had slightly higher conduction loss. The MOS was cooled with chilled water. To 

test module4 p-i-n with Cotronics passivation, continuous buck converter operation 

heated the module, so it first operated for many minutes to stabilize the temperature. The 

rate of current turn-off during the swing from forward to reverse peak, such as from 90% 

to 10%, is sometimes noted. At 150 °C for 450 V and 12.6 Ω load the picture traces in 

figure 7 have channel 2 is current 1, channel 3 is current 2, and channel 4 is current 4. 

Figure 7. Continuous operation of Cotronics-coated module4 p-i-n in DC-to-DC buck converter. 

ch. 1 

ch. 2 

ch. 4 

ch. 3 

ch. 1 

ch. 2 

ch. 3 

ch. 4 
27

The currents at forward peak/forward ending/reverse peak for diode 1 were 2.0 A 

broad/1.7 A/-5.4 A, diode 2 were 2.25 A initial/1.2 A/-4.1 A, and diode 4 were 2.7 A 

broad/2.3 A/-8.3 A, with 620 V peak. At 142 °C for 300 V and 6.4 Ω the peaks for diode 

1 were 2.4 A broad/2.1 A/-4.2 A, diode 2 were 3.7 A initial/1.6 A/-4.1 A, and diode 4 

were 4.1 A broad/3.8 A/-12.3 A, with 335 V peak. Currents scaled for diode 1 

1.2Χ/1.24Χ/0.8Χ, diode 2 1.64Χ/1.3Χ/1Χ, and diode 4 1.5Χ/1.6Χ/1.5Χ, so diode 2 forward and 

diode 4, in forward and reverse, scaled similarly but the remainder less than average. 

Again, current sharing by three parallel diodes in two conditions was not dependable and 

got worse with more total current. 

The curve tracer found Cotronics-coated module4 p-i-n diodes withstood temperature 

impressively. The coating definitely worked; forward voltage decreases could have been 

more equal as shown in table 5. 

Table 5. Curve tracer of module4 p-i-n diodes. 

Diode Forward Reverse 

25 °C #1 2.8 V + 0.25 Ω 840 V, 5 μA 

 #2 2.85 V + 0.24 Ω 1200 V, 1.7 μA 

 #4 2.8 V + 0.24 Ω 1200 V, 0.4 μA 

150 °C #1 2.75 V + 0.21 Ω 686 V, 5 μA 

 #2 2.75 V + 0.28 Ω 1172 V, 1.2 μA 

 #4 2.8 V + 0.24 Ω 1178 V, 2 μA 

200 °C or higher #1 2.66 V + 0.41 Ω 608 V, 6 μA 

 #2 2.65 V + 0.4 Ω 1003 V, 6 μA 

 #4 2.68 V + 0.42 Ω 1170 V, 5.2 μA 

242 °C (measured, may have been 

exceeded since it had difficulty 

increasing with heater voltage) 

#1 2.42 V + 0.4 Ω

 #2 2.32 V + 0.43 Ω

 #4 V + 0.5 Ω

At the end of this, leads braized at 280 °C eutectic temperature became unattached. The 

forward voltage decreases were 0.24 V, 0.33 V, and 0.57 V; these varied far too widely 

for such temperatures. Figure 8 curve tracer measurement represents higher substrate 

temperatures than was previously used or recommended but the diode still worked. 
28

Mod4 p-i-n lower right #4 Cotronics silicone coated

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.8 4

V

A

27 oC before coat

150 oC

200 oC

242 oC

Figure 8. Curve tracer of module4 p-i-n #4 lower right Cotronics coated.

5.2 Junction Barrier Schottky Diodes 

JBS diodes were rated at 500 V and are the type favored for such voltage. During testing, 

they always had adequate heat sinking. On the curve tracer, they had a 0.1-V knee below 

the listed voltage. Module2JBS diode JBS4 was 0.8 V + 0.37 Ω, at 2.29 V, 4 A. The 

reverse at 300 V was 0.75 μA; at 400 V, 3 μA (we quit at this voltage after these 

measurements); at 440, V 5 μA; at 500 V, 13 μA; and at 540 V, 30 μA. JBS diode 4 did 

not later show stress from this. The curve tracer found for all diodes the forward voltage 

increased and became less equal at 4 A. Module2JBS JBS1 at upper left was initially 

2.54 V, JBS2 upper right initially 2.52 V (failed in DC-to-DC converter by 230 V, 1 A), 

JBS3 lower left initially 2.26 V (failed in DC-to-DC converter by 300 V, 2.3 A), and 

JBS4 lower right initially 2.29 V. Two worked at the maximum 400 V. After the initial 

curve-tracer measurement, the diodes were limited to 400 V. 

To permit short wires, the circuit board was bolted near the hot plate. Module2JBS was 

held onto the hot plate by several small (thread 2-56) bolts both at the sides and by 

clamping its corners under pieces of 0.4-cm Teflon, so it could not slide or be leveraged. 

This permitted the use of heat sink compound under the module for the designed thermal 

left to right 242 oC, 200 oC, 

150 oC; 27 oC before coated 
29

conductance and added the hot plate’s thermal mass for brief operation. The centrifugal 

blower was angled down 20° to assist diode cooling. TCP312 current probes rated 

100 MHz were used on JBS2, JBS3, and JBS4 since the JBS had much more rapid 

reverse recovery than a p-i-n diode. 

The faster reverse recovery of these diodes gave more ringing. This was reduced by 

shortening wires to the load and from the power supply, changing to a planar load 

measuring 12.5 Ω + 0.12 μH to tens of MHz, and making the ground point where the 

anode wires contacted the circuit board. The load units of 50 Ω, 1000 W behaved 

negligibly inductive at all the frequencies of interest. JBS4 alone at 150 V was 3.2 A 

forward, at 180 V started at 3.9 A and peaked at 4.19A (we attempted a 4-A limit) with 

reverse recovery of 14.4 ns and 0.05 nC charge. 

In parallel, JBS2 and JBS4 at 180 V gave 1.6 A and 2.2 A. At 200 V in figure 9, the four 

diodes JBS1 (vertically magnified 2.5× by different scale) channel 1, JBS2 channel 2, 

JBS3 channel 3 and JBS4 channel 4 obviously did not share current fairly equally at all 

times. Their currents were always markedly unequal, had different rates of change with 

time, and shifted the total current among the four. In reverse bias (10% to 38% of 

horizontal sweep) the top trace was channel 1, then 2, 3 and 4. They started forward 

conduction at 0.64 A, 1.06 A, 1.25 A, and 1.55 A and ended at 0.66A, 0.6 A, 1.28 A, and 

1.1 A. Reverse peaks were –0.6 A, –0.83 A, –0.17 A, and –0.77 A. 

Around 250 V (less than 270 V), JBS2 melted its wire bonds and fractured away 80% of 

volume. These JBS failures were not from damage by testing and showed poor original 

quality and durability; they withstood less reverse voltage than rated in the DC-to-DC 

buck converter at a constant reading of 25 °C. On the curve tracer at 4 A, JBS3 at 2.33 V 

was up 0.07 V from original, JBS1 at 2.64 V was up 0.1 V, and JBS4 at 2.36 V was up 

0.07 V; reverse at 400 V was acceptably 3 μA. In the DC-to-DC converter JBS1, JBS3 

and JBS4 at 230 V were as shown in table 6. 
30

Figure 9. Diodes JBS1, JBS2, JBS3, and JBS4 in parallel. 

Table 6. JBS diodes. 

 Start (A) 1 μs later End (A) Reverse peak 

(A) 

230 V JBS1 

JBS3 

JBS4 

1.26 

1.76 

2.4 

1.28 

1.9 

1.8 

1.5 

1.7 

1.5 

-0.92 

-0.97 

-1.1 

270 V The reverse recovery 

was 24 ns at 12 nC, with JBS4 

having a 160-W peak twice 

that of JBS1 or JBS3. 

JBS1 

JBS3 

JBS4 

1.4 is peak 

1.9 

2.6 

1.52 

2.25 

2.13 

1.35 

2.03 

1.8 

-0.95 

-1 

-1.2 

300 V When repeated the 

sweep blew. 

JBS1 

JBS3 

JBS4 conducting 

but not displayed 

1.6 

2.1 

1.7 

2.6 

1.5 

2.2 

-0.9 

-1 

300 V JBS1 

JBS4 

2.2 

3.3 

2.2 

3.5 

1.85 

2.8 

-1.2 in 16 ns, 

11.2 nC 

-0.61 in 20 ns, 

10.6 nC 

ch. 1 

ch. 3 

ch. 4 

ch. 2 

ch. 1 

ch. 3 

ch. 4

ch. 2 
31

These were undesirably unequal. 

At 300 V, the diodes were working in the first trace picture but JBS3 melted the wire 

bonds, fractured 1/3 of the top area and 1/6 of bottom, and removed 0.5 cm by 0.3 cm of 

Au nearby before the second picture and its spreadsheet files were taken. Lifting the 

module to inspect heat sink compound coverage area may have reduced it but found it 

was only 2/3 covered and under the diode 3 area was half covered; the module near JBS3 

was missing an area of Au larger than a diode. In the DC-to-DC converter, JBS1 and 

JBS4 at 300 V initially were 2.2 A and 3.5 A, undesirably unmatched currents; 1 μs later 

2.2 A and 3.5 A, and ended 1.85 A and 2.8 A; reverse recovery peak was -1.2 A ending 

in 16 ns with 11.2 nC, and JBS4 was -0.61 A ending in 20 ns with 10.6 nC. On the curve 

tracer at 4 A JBS1 was 2.99 V up by an excessive 0.66 V, then after storage for 60 

minutes became a worse 3.1 V; JBS4 was 2.43 V, up 0.07 V. With forward voltages so 

uneven and shifting, and current versus time shifting and possibly spiking, testing was 

halted. 

6. Conclusions 

These SiC p-i-n diodes were not sufficiently uniform to share current equally. They were 

fairly durable and predictably withstood higher temperature than Si production diodes but 

were basically not uniform and reliable enough for applications. More equal current 

sharing at least in DC and preferably during a cycle is needed for high-volume production 

and use. For example, Module3 at 400 V in the DC-to-DC converter had the left diode 

began at 4 A and the right at 4.2 A and ended at 3.6 A and 3.1 A (too different and poorly 

tracking). Also, a better passivation layer over the Au is needed to reduce its 

deterioration in high temperature excursions. We hope for design responses such as in 

crystal growth to reduce the literature-reported degradation and triangular defects of SiC. 

These SiC JBS diodes had too high a rating of 500 V and 4 A and were not sufficiently 

uniform or durable. Their beginning curve tracer voltages at 4 A varied undesirably by 

0.28 V, which usage increased to 0.67 V; thus, their DC currents in parallel would be less 

equal. They should have had more equal currents at all times and especially had less 

difference in variations with time during a DC-to-DC buck converter cycle. Tighter 

initial voltage distribution at 4 A and better design and screening for the rating would be 

a first step.

A test apparatus must have adequate thermal conductivity in the heat sink, and adequate 

cooling capacity for thermal control, directly at the device, as for the junction. Air 

cooling with adequate air flow was, even for the MOS, far from adequate for our needs. 

The heat flowed through more distance to achieve modest thermal conductance or 
32

thermal mass. Significant and continuous use of the MOS transistor’s capacity required a 

water cooled substrate. The heater must permit short electrical connections to the rest of 

the apparatus. 
33

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36

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