Design and simulation of a 4H-SiC low gain avalanche diode with trench-isolation

Sebastian Onder; Philipp Gaggl; Jürgen Burin; Andreas Gsponer; Matthias Knopf; Simon Waid; Neil Moffat; Giulio Pellegrini; Thomas Bergauer

doi:10.1016/j.nima.2025.170740

arXiv · 2510.14531

Design and simulation of a 4H-SiC low gain avalanche diode with trench-isolation

Sebastian Onder·Philipp Gaggl·Jürgen Burin·Andreas Gsponer·Matthias Knopf·Simon Waid·Neil Moffat·Giulio Pellegrini·Thomas Bergauer

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Abstract

We present the design and simulation of a 30 $\mathrm{\mu m}$ thick 4H-SiC Low Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) optimized for high-voltage operation. A 2.4 $\mathrm{\mu m}$ thick epitaxially grown gain layer enables controlled internal amplification up to 1 kV reverse bias, while maintaining full depletion below 500 V. Electrical characteristics, including I-V, C-V, and gain behavior, were simulated in Synopsys Sentaurus Technology Computer-Aided Design (TCAD) using a quasi-1D geometry and verified across process-related variations in gain layer parameters. To ensure high-voltage stability and proper edge termination, a guard structure combining deep etched trenches and deep $p^+$ junction termination extension (JTE) implants was designed. TCAD simulations varying the guard structure dimensions yielded an optimized design with a breakdown voltage above 2.4 kV. A corresponding wafer run is currently processed at IMB-CNM, Barcelona.

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Sebastian Onder, Philipp Gaggl, Jürgen Burin, Andreas Gsponer, Matthias Knopf, Simon Waid, Neil Moffat, Giulio Pellegrini, Thomas Bergauer. 2025-10-16. Design and simulation of a 4H-SiC low gain avalanche diode with trench-isolation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2025.170740

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