SiC Schottky diodes for harsh environment space applications
Résumé
This paper reports on the fabrication technology and packaging strategy for 300-V 5-A silicon carbide Schottky diodes with a wide temperature operation range capability (between -170°C and 300°aC). These diodes have been designed for harsh environment space applications such as inner Solar System exploration probes. Different endurance tests have been performed to evaluate the diode behavior when working at a high temperature and under severe thermal cycling conditions (ranged from -170 °C to 270 C). The radiation hardness capability has been also tested. It has been found that the hermeticity of the package in a neutral atmosphere is a key aspect to avoid an electrical parameter drift. Moreover, the use of gold metallization and gold wire bonds on the anode allows reducing the diode surface and bonding degradation when compared to Al-containing technology. On the back-side cathode contact, the Ti/Ni/Au metallization and AuGe combination have shown a very good behavior. As a result, the manufactured diodes demonstrated high stability for a continuous operation at 285 C.
Mots clés
packaging
radiation hardness
Schottky diodes
silicon carbide (SiC)space electronics
Continuous operation
Cycling conditions
Electrical parameter
Endurance test
Fabrication Technologies
Gold metallization
Gold wire
Harsh environment
Hermeticity
High stability
High temperature
Neutral atmosphere
SiC Schottky diode
Silicon carbide schottky diodes
Solar system exploration
Wide temperature operation