TCAD Simulation for Ultra Wide Bandgap Materials and Devices

Hiu Yung Wong, Tutorial in WiPDA-Asia 2020 wipda-asia2020.org/tutorial.html Wide Bandgap and Ultra-Wide Bandgap (WBG/UWBG) materials (such as SiC, GaN, Ga2O3, and Diamond) and their devices are revolutionizing the power electronics industry. Due to the wider bandgap and sometimes better carrier mobilities and thermal conductivities, higher voltage rating and efficiency are made possible. However, WBG/UWBG materials are relatively novel and thus, are more expensive and difficult to fabricate. Therefore, TCAD simulation provides a very cost-effective way to explore the design space of WBG/UWBG material and novel devices. Knowhow is required to have successful TCAD simulations of WBG/UWBG devices due to the wider bandgap and novel physics. In this lecture, we will discuss the 1. methodologies to improve the numerical convergence and their limitations, 2. modeling of critical physics in each material and the corresponding devices, 3. calibration of critical parameters, and 4. modeling of defects and reliabilities. TCAD Sentaurus will be used in the examples.