Catastrophic SEE Mechanisms and Behavior in SiC Diodes

We report on catastrophic single-event effects in silicon carbide Schottky diodes for protons and heavy ions. A power law relation describes the single-event effect response of heavy ions to the voltage rating of the device. A proposed charge collection model correlates well with the data. The proton response to voltage rating, when compared to the actual field strengths in the device plus known reaction characteristics of protons in silicon, intimates the same mechanism of defect initiated SEE that the heavy ion data exhibit.