Evaluation of a 4 mm x 4 mm SiC GTO at Temperatures up to 150°C and Varying Pulse Width

Abstract

The U. S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is evaluating silicon carbide Super GTOs (SGTOs) to determine the extent of silicon carbide's capabilities as a possible replacement for silicon in future pulsed switching applications. Individual SiC die measuring 4 mmtimes4 mm were pulsed at high temperatures and varying pulse widths. These SGTOs were switched in an RLC circuit at temperatures up to 150 degC. At this peak temperature, they were switched as high as 3.2 kA and repetitively pulsed at 2.6 kA and 5 Hz for greater than 14,000 pulses. A pulse forming network (PFN) was also designed to increase the pulse width and the action seen by the SiC devices. At ambient temperature and a peak current of 2 kA, SiC SGTOs were switched in the PFN at a 50% pulse width of 40 mus and an action of 150 A2s. This report includes further data on high temperature and wide pulse width testing, as well as analysis of the devices' failure points