A 4.5 KV 6H SILICON-CARBIDE RECTIFIER

Reactive ion etched silicon carbide mesa pin diodes with voltage blocking capabilities as high as 4.5 kV have been fabricated from 6H-SiC epitaxial layers. The epitaxial structure was grown by chemical vapor deposition on an n(+) substrate giving a low-doped 45 mu m thick n(-) active base layer and a 1.5 mu m thick high-doped p(+) emitter layer on top. A high minority carrier lifetime of 0.43 mu s in the n(-) active base layer provides good on-state properties with a typical forward voltage drop of 6 V at 100 A/cm(2). (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.