Cryogenic Reliability and Electrical Performance of TVS Diodes

Considering the protection requirements of electronic systems in spacecraft operating in cryogenic environments or superconducting systems in cryogenic environments, this study systematically evaluates the cryogenic reliability of unidirectional and bidirectional transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes through thermal shock tests and electrical characterization across 300 K to 77 K. Key parameters including breakdown voltage (VBR), leakage current (IR), and junction capacitance(Cj). After the thermal shock experiments, the reverse recovery characteristics of the TVS diodes were measured to evaluate the reliability of the devices. Experimental results demonstrate that bidirectional diodes exhibit a 11%– 26% increase in VBR at 77 K, whereas unidirectional diodes show a 5%–9% reduction. Post-cycling analysis after twenty thermal cycles confirms stable performance, with all electrical parameters deviating by less than 2% from initial values (300 K). These findings validate the operational reliability of TVS diodes under extreme cryogenic conditions and provide critical experimental support for device selection and derating criteria in low-temperature circuit design.