Gate Current Stress for Detecting Neutron-Induced Degradation in SiC Power MOSFETs

Atmospheric neutron-induced degradation of SiC power MOSFETs was observed through accelerated gate stress tests. The results show that below catastrophic failure voltage conditions, devices still suffer from the effects of atmospheric radiation and long-term reliability degradation. Irradiated devices exhibit early failures in stress tests indicating gate oxide weakening due to neutron impact. The implications of the observed early failures on radiation qualification and lifetime prediction are discussed.