Temperature dependence of on-state inter-terminal capacitances (Cgd and Cgs) of SiC MOSFETs and frequency limitations of their measurements

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the on-state inter-terminal capacitances of SiC MOSFETs vary with temperature and frequency, highlighting the importance for accurate device modeling and the impact of packaging stray inductances on measurements.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the temperature dependence of on-state ITCs in SiC MOSFETs using a calibrated TCAD model, and examines measurement limitations caused by high-frequency stray inductances.

Findings

ITCs decrease with increasing temperature between 300-450 K.

Stray inductances in the package affect ITC measurements at frequencies as low as 1 MHz.

Temperature dependence of ITCs is linked to the relative resistances of device regions.

Abstract

Inter-terminal capacitances (ITCs) have major influence on the dynamic performance of power SiC MOSFETs. Knowledge of the exact values for the ITCs is required in order to perform accurate and predictive compact model simulations of their dynamic performance. Since commercial SiC MOSFETs are capable of operating in a wide range of temperatures, it is important to know the values of ITCs in the whole temperature range of operation. Direct measurements of the ITCs with standard equipment is possible only at low current levels (i.e. in the off-state (Vgs < Vth) for Vds > 0 V), however their values in the on-state (Vgs>Vth) also influence the MOSFETs switching performance. In this work, ITCs of a planar SiC MOSFET in the on-state are studied by the means of a calibrated TCAD model, revealing substantial temperature dependence in the range of 300-450 K. In the first approximation, this temperature dependence of the ITCs can be explained by a weaker temperature dependence of the MOSFET channel resistance in comparison to its JFET and epitaxial layer resistances. In addition, it is shown that at high frequencies stray inductances of the TO-247-3 package result in a change of the extracted values of the on-state ITCs. This effect is already notable at 1 MHz.