Application of optical emission microscopy for reliability studies in 4H-SiC p+/n-/n+ diodes

An optical emission microscopy technique with spatial and spectral resolution capabilities is applied for stability studies of 4H-SiC material properties. From the example of a 4H-SiC p(+)/n(-)/n(+) diode imaged at different stages of electrical overstress the mechanism of degrading performance is directly unveiled. We correlate this phenomenon with irreversible structural changes within the active region created by a nonuniform heating related stress. The stress-generated features are interpreted as multiple stacking faults spreading throughout the whole base region and nucleated in the vicinity of built-in defects and process-induced structural deficiencies. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.