Progress and future challenges of silicon carbide devices for integrated circuits

Silicon carbide (SiC) is an emerging wide bandgap semiconductor having superior physical properties such as high critical electric field and high saturated drift velocity. Discrete high-voltage, low-loss SiC power devices such as 600-1700 V Schottky barrier diodes and FETs (MOSFETs and JFETs) have currently been developed, and small-scale production has started. SiC is also attractive for advanced integrated circuits operating in high-temperature and radiation-hard circumstances. This paper reviews the present status, future prospects, and technological challenges of SiC devices and circuits.