Silicon Carbide npnp Thyristors

Thyristors (semiconductor controlled rectifiers) made from silicon carbide have been fabricated and tested as prototypes of power-switching devices capable of operating at temperatures up to 350 °C. The highest-voltage-rated of these thyristors are capable of blocking current at forward or reverse bias as large as 900 V, and can sustain forward current as large as 2 A with a forward potential drop of –3.9 V. The highest-power-rated of these thyristors (which are also the highest-power-rated SiC thyristors reported thus far) can block current at a forward or reverse bias of 700 V and can sustain an "on" current of 6 A at a forward potential drop of –3.67 V. The highest-current-rated of these thyristors can block current at a forward or reverse bias of 400 V and can sustain an "on" current of 10 A.