Degradation mechanism and reliability tests for silicon carbide power metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors: challenges and progress

As a representative of third-generation semiconductor power devices, Silicon Carbide Metal-OxideSemiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (SiC MOSFETs) are revolutionizing the field of power electronics due to their excellent thermal conductivity, power density, high breakdown voltage, and high-frequency characteristics. However, in practice, SiC power MOSFETs must contend with various stresses and severe operating environments, which can significantly impact their reliability and lifetime. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation of the degradation assessment and failure mechanisms under different stresses is crucial for their long-term reliability studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges faced by SiC power MOSFETs at the chip level and package level, device lifetime and degradation parameters (such as threshold voltage and gate leakage current) under reliability and robustness testing, and common improvement methods to enhance reliability. This paper aims to provide valuable insights for researchers and engineers and to advance the practical application of SiC power MOSFETs.