Switching behaviour of fast high voltage SiC pn-diodes

4H-SiC p-n diodes with an active area of 1 mm² and up to 3 kV blocking voltage have been fabricated, characterized and compared to simulations. The static forward characteristics demonstrate the expected forward power loss with a negative temperature coefficient. The diodes exhibit a stable avalanche breakdown, showing a small positive temperature coefficient (0.3 V/K). The turn-on switching behaviour shows a relatively small voltage overshoot as compared to silicon diodes. The turn-off resembles that of a Schottky diode. In both cases, the dynamics can be attributed to a rapid recombination of the storage charge, even under high forward injection conditions. Numerical simulations may point to a local lifetime reduction at the p-n junction