Heavy-ions-induced failure mechanisms and structural damage in SiC MOSFETs under complex irradiation conditions

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/ae07ad

Abstract The failure mechanisms and structural damage of SiC MOSFETs induced by heavy ion irradiation were demonstrated. The findings reveal three degradation modes, depending on the drain voltage. At a relatively low voltage, the damage is triggered by the formation and activation of gate latent damage (LDs), with damage concentrated in the gate oxide. The second degradation mode involves permanent leakage current degradation, with damage progressively transitioning from the oxide to the SiC material as the drain voltage escalates. Ultimately, the device undergoes catastrophic burnout above certain voltages, characterized by the lattice temperature reaching the sublimation point of SiC, resulting in surface cavity and complete structural destruction. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of SiC MOSFETs under heavy ion exposure, providing radiation resistance methods of SiC-based devices for aerospace applications.

Keywords: heavy ion irradiation silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs structural damage failure mechanism

Received: 25 April 2025
Revised: 19 June 2025
Accepted manuscript online: 17 September 2025

PACS:	85.30.Tv	(Field effect devices)
	61.80.-x	(Physical radiation effects, radiation damage)
	51.50.+v	(Electrical properties)
	84.30.Jc	(Power electronics; power supply circuits)

Fund: Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2023YFA1609000) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. U2341222, U2441248, 12275061, and 12075069).

Corresponding Authors: Chaoming Liu
E-mail: cmliu@hit.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Yiping Xiao(肖一平), Chaoming Liu(刘超铭), Jiaming Zhou(周佳明), Le Gao(高乐), Mingzheng Wang(王铭峥), Tianqi Wang(王天琦), and Mingxue Huo(霍明学) Heavy-ions-induced failure mechanisms and structural damage in SiC MOSFETs under complex irradiation conditions 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 018503

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Heavy-ions-induced failure mechanisms and structural damage in SiC MOSFETs under complex irradiation conditions

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