11.72- $\hbox{cm}^{2}$ Active-Area Wafer-Interconnected p-i-n Diode Pulsed at 64 kA Dissipates 382 J and Exhibits an Action of 1.7 $\hbox{MA}^{2}\cdot\hbox{s}$

SiC device area is currently limited by material and processing defects. To meet the large current handling requirements of modern power conditioning systems, paralleling of a large number of devices is required. This can increase cost and complexity through dicing, soldering, inclusion of ballast resistors, and forming multiple wire bonds. Furthermore, paralleling numerous discrete devices increases package volume/weight and reduces power density. To overcome these complexities, p-i-n diodes were designed, fabricated at a yield of 83%, and interconnected on a 3-in 4H-SiC wafer to form an 11.72-cm 2 active-area full-wafer diode. The full-wafer diode exhibited a breakdown voltage of 1790 V at an extremely low leakage current density of less than 0.002 mA/cm 2 . At a pulsed current density of 5.5 kA/cm 2 and a rise time of di/dt = 1.1 kA/μs, the peak current through the wafer-interconnected diode was 64.3 kA with a forward-voltage drop of 10.3 V. The dissipated energy was 382 J, and the calculated action exceeded 1.7 MA 2 · s. Preliminary efforts on high-voltage diode interconnection have produced quarter-wafer-interconnected p-i-n diodes with breakdown voltages of 4 and 4.5 kV and active areas of 3.1 and 2.2 cm 2 , respectively.