Predictive physical model of cosmic-radiation-induced failures of power devices

In the last ten years, the hardening of silicon high power devices against cosmic-radiation-induced failure gained decisive importance. A systematic improvement of the robustness against cosmic radiation requires a fundamental physical understanding of the microscopic mechanisms which lead to the failure or even destruction of power devices. We performed detailed 3D thermo-electrical device simulations to study the local self-heating in the device in order to explain the failure and destruction mechanisms and compared the results with experimental data obtained from nucleon irradiation experiments. Several diode designs with varying doping concentration and vertical size of the device were investigated.