Simulation and characterization of 4H-SiC JBS diodes irradiated by hydrogen and carbon ions

This paper presents the development and application of simulation models for proton and carbon irradiated 4H-SiC junction barrier Schottky (JBS) diodes. Commercial JBS diode chips were irradiated to the identical depth with different doses of hydrogen and carbon ions. The resulting defects were then identified by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS). Comprehensive I-V and C-V measurement performed prior to and after ion irradiation was used for calibration of simulation models. Results show that compared to protons, heavier carbon ions introduce more defects with deeper levels in the SiC bandgap and more stable damage. For the first time, the free carrier concentration profile extracted from CV simulations for irradiated JBS diode has been compared with experimental data. The simulation of irradiated JBS diodes exhibit excellent matching with experimental data and can be very useful for the optimization of SiC power devices. Furthermore, it is shown that the developed model can be used for prediction of the effect of ion irradiation on both the static and dynamic characteristic of PiN diode.