1000 V 4H-SiC gate turn off (GTO) thyristor

4H-SiC GTO devices were designed, fabricated and evaluated on the basis of blocking voltage, current density and forward drop. Interdigitated designs with device pitches ranging from 26 to 48 /spl mu/m and circular devices with diameters from 0.5 to 1.5 mm were fabricated. We measure 600 V forward blocking voltage, and 4 A (1500 A/cm/sup 2/) forward current on 680 /spl mu/m diameter involute 4H-SiC GTOs fabricated with a 14 /spl mu/m base layer. Interdigitated devices of smaller areas (/spl sim/6.5/spl times/10/sup -4/ cm/sup 2/ active area) measure 1000 V forward blocking for a 14 /spl mu/m epitaxial base layer. By combining 8 interdigitated devices in parallel, a maximum current of 20 A was achieved which corresponds to a current density of 3500 A/cm/sup 2/ (compared to 200 A/cm/sup 2/ maximum for a Si GTO). Current density as a function of forward drop was evaluated over the temperature range of 25/spl deg/C to 390/spl deg/C.