Carrier lifetime "paradoxes" in high-voltage 4H-SiC diodes

For 4H-SiC p⁺n_on⁺ diodes with 6-kV blocking capability, data on residual forward voltage drops at high current densities, switch-on time, reverse current recovery, and post-injection voltage decay are analyzed. It is shown that the set of experimental data can be explained if a thin layer near the p⁺n_o junction is supposed to exist, and carrier lifetime in this layer is essentially lower than that across the remaining part of the n_o-base. Such a layer allows the combination of a relatively low forward voltage drop and fast diode reverse recovery