Islam, S.; Sengupta, A.; Ball, D. R.; Osheroff, J. M.; Sternberg, A. L.; Galloway, K. F.; Witulski, A. F.; Kosier, S. L.; Schrimpf, R. D. (2026). . IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.
This study tests a model designed to predict when silicon carbide (SiC) power devices will experience single event burnout (SEB), a sudden and permanent failure caused by energetic particles such as heavy ions. The critical depletion energy model predicts the voltage at which SEB occurs based mainly on the doping level of the device鈥檚 semiconductor layer, rather than other design features such as layer thickness. Researchers tested the model using 6.5 and 10 kV SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), extending experiments to higher voltages than previously studied. The devices were exposed to several types of heavy ions with different energy-deposition characteristics, and voltage ranges associated with increased leakage current and permanent failure were identified. Results from ions with high energy deposition agreed with the model鈥檚 predictions. Overall, the findings extend experimental support for the critical depletion energy model from previously tested voltages of up to 4.5 kV to devices rated as high as 10 kV.
Fig. 1.聽
SEB voltage聽versus epi doping for experimental SiC power MOSFETs, extended up to 10 kV using the critical energy model from聽[28]. All data points correspond to high-LET Pr ions.