Pulse evaluation of high voltage SIC diodes

The U. S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is evaluating silicon carbide switches and diodes to determine the range of high power and pulsed power applications for which SiC is a sensible material to use. This study focused on 6 kV, SiC P-i-N diodes which were designed by Cree Inc. and packaged and pulse tested at ARL. Diodes were pulsed at a single shot rate both individually and in parallel. Individual diodes were pulsed as high as 5.9 kA (corresponding to an action of 4.5 × 10³ A²s) for 25 single shots before failing, and as high as 5.0 kA (with an action of 3.5×103 A2s) for over 100 shots without failure. Five diodes paralleled in the pulse testbed carried a total current of 23 kA with each diode sharing 19–21% of the total peak current. Eight diodes in parallel reached over 39 kA peak current. The ultimate goal is to combine 8–10 diodes in a single, compact package for higher current applications.