3100 V, asymmetrical, gate turn-off (GTO) thyristors in 4H-SiC

A 2-mm×2-mm, 4H-SiC, asymmetrical npnp gate turn-off (GTO) thyristor with a blocking voltage of 3100 V and a forward current of 12 A is reported. This is the highest reported power handling capability of 37 kW for a single device in SiC. The 5-epilayer structure utilized a blocking layer that was 50 μm thick, p-type, doped at about 7-9×10/sup 14/ cm/sup -3/. The devices were terminated with a single zone junction termination extension (JTE) region formed by ion-implantation of nitrogen at 650/spl deg/C. The device was able to reliably turn-on and turn-off 20 A (500 A/cm
²
) of anode current with a turn-on gain (I/sub K//I/sub G, on/) of 20 and a turn-off gain (I/sub K//I/sub G, off/) of 3.3.