On the homogeneity of the turn-on process in high-voltage 4H-SiC thyristors

The homogeneity of the turn-on process in high-voltage 4H-SiC thyristors has been investigated for the first time. It is shown that, even at the holding current, which is the minimum possible current at which the thyristor is still turned on, the on-state occupies the whole area of the thyristor. During the turn-on transient, the current density distribution may be virtually homogeneous even at the turn-on front up to a current density of 1600 A/cm2.