Transient effects on high voltage diode stack under reverse bias

• Published in: Microelectronics and reliability Vol. 43; no. 4; pp. 557 - 564
• Main Authors: Papež, V., Kojecký, B., Kožı́šek, J., Hejhal, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2003
• ISSN: 0026-2714; 1872-941X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0026-2714(03)00028-3

This article describes and analyses the fast transient processes that can occur during a local non-destructive breakdown in a circuit consisting of a serial connection of reverse biased high-voltage silicon diodes. Measurements of the reverse current–voltage characteristics of the individual diodes showed that a breakdown had occurred. However, this phenomenon is very difficult to study when there are many diodes connected in series in a stack. A physical model was therefore created to show the individual local breakdown in this case. The validity of the model was verified by means of circuit simulation of the process under investigation. The statistical significance of the process was considered with respect to the reliability and lifetime of a high-voltage diode stack.