Temperature dependence of silicon and silicon carbide power devices: An experimental analysis

A comparative experimental study between silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) power devices is presented. This study focuses on experiment results of forward, reverse and transient characteristics. Three different diodes technologies are tested: PiN, schottky and Merged PiN Schottky (MPS) diodes. Silicon carbide power devices are tested at 25°C-200°C range. However, the silicon devices are tested up to 175°C because of the Si temperature limitation. Experimental results show that silicon carbide MPS diode offers superior temperature performance over silicon PiN diodes during transient mode.