1200 V 4H-SiC BJTs with a Common Emitter Current Gain of 60 and Low On-resistance

This paper reports a 4H-SiC bipolar junction transistor (BJT) with a breakdown voltage (BV(CEO)) of 1200 V, a maximum current gain (beta) of 60 and the low on-resistance (R(sp-on))of 5.2 m Omega cm(2). The high gain is attributed to an improved surface passivation SiO(2) layer which was grown in N(2)O ambient in a diffusion furnace. The SiC BJTs with passivation oxide grown in N(2)O ambient show less emitter size dependence than reference SiC BJTs, with conventional SiO(2) passivation, due to a reduced surface recombination current. SiC BJT devices with an active area of 1.8 mm x 1.8 mm showed a current gain of 53 in pulsed mode and a forward voltage drop Of V(CE)=2V at I(C)=15 A (J(C)=460 A/cm(2))