Defects affecting SiC power device reliability

As silicon carbide power devices enter the silicon-dominated power electronics market, there is an increased interest in the reliability of SiC power devices. This work discusses the role of materials defects, specifically, the effects of extended defects such as dislocations and stacking faults - as opposed to point defects. Dislocations and stacking faults have been shown to adversely affect SiC devices by introducing leakage paths and by reducing conductivity in the device drift region. The introduction of extended defects arises from all phases of SiC devices production: substrate growth, epitaxial layer growth and device fabrication. While many of these extended defects reduce the yield of device fabrication, basal plane dislocations (BPDs) are the primary defect affecting device reliability.