Surge Driven Evolution of Schottky Barrier Height on 4H-Sic JBS Diodes

In this paper we will present the results of repetitive surge stress carried out on six 3.3 kV-5A Ti/Ni 4H-SiC JBS diodes. Repetitive current peaks between 10 A and 24 A have been applied and some diodes were able to endure 100,000 cycles while others failed before. The causes of failure have not been determined but a correlation between peak surge current and physical parameters evolution rate has been proven. Simulations show that contact temperature during surge can reach 300 °C, which is very close to Schottky contact annealing temperatures.