High-Power Silicon p-i-n Diode With the Radiation Enhanced Diffusion of Gold

Fast recovery p-i-n diode with anode p-n junction modified by the radiation-enhanced diffusion (RED) of gold is presented. The RED of gold is shown to provide the local lifetime control of excess carriers, the compensation of n-base doping profile from n-type to p-type, and the enhancement of concentration of two gold-related deep levels. The deep level Au^-/0(E_C-0.549 eV) controls the low-level lifetime, whereas the gold-hydrogen pair (E_C-0.215 eV) the high-level lifetime. This feature eliminates the drawback of negative temperature coefficient of forward voltage drop of the RED with palladium and platinum, where only a single deep level, which controls the high-level lifetime, is enhanced. The RED of gold provides the maximal reverse bias safe operation area at the annealing temperature of 600°C, whereas the RED of palladium at 650°C.