Full-Band Monte Carlo Transport Simulator for Wide Bandgap Materials in Power ElectronicsA
Unfortunately, commercial TCAD tools like Sentaurus and Silvaco Atlas are based on the effective mass approximation, while most 4H-SiC devices are not operated under low electric field, so the parabolic-like band approximation does not hold anymore. Hence, to get more accurate and reliable simulation results, full-band analysis is needed. The first step in the development of a full-band device simulator is the calculation of the band structure. In this work, the empirical pseudopotential method (EPM) is adopted. The next task in the sequence is the calculation of the scattering rates. Acoustic, non-polar optical phonon, polar optical phonon and Coulomb scattering are considered. Coulomb scattering is treated in real space using the particle-particle-particle-mesh (P3M) approach. The third task is coupling the bulk full-band solver with a 3D Poisson equation solver to generate a full-band device simulator.
For proof-of-concept of the methodology adopted here, a 3D resistor is simulated first. From the resistor simulations, the low-field electron mobility dependence upon Coulomb scattering in 4H-SiC devices is extracted. The simulated mobility results agree very well with available experimental data. Next, a 3D VDMOS is simulated. The nature of the physical processes occurring in both steady-state and transient conditions are revealed for the two generations of 3D VDMOS devices being considered in the study.
Due to its comprehensive nature, the developed tool serves as a basis for future investigation of 4H-SiC power devices.]]>autCheng, Chi-YinthsVasileska, DragicathsGoodnick, Stephen MdgcPonce, FernandodgcZhao, YujipblArizona State UniversityengDoctoral Dissertation Electrical Engineering 2020https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.5716300Doctoral DissertationAcademic theses118 pages115910174691630032421158215adminIn Copyright2020TextElectrical EngineeringFull-Band AnalysisMonte Carlo methodP3MReal-space Coulomb InteractionSiCSimulation