Comparison of Displacement Damage in 4H-SiC Schottky Barrier Diodes Irradiated by 1 MeV Electrons and 3 MeV Protons

This work systematically investigates the displacement damage in 4H-SiC Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) induced by 1 MeV electrons and 3 MeV protons. By calculating the non-ionizing energy loss (NIEL) and corresponding displacement damage dose (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$D_{d}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>), we demonstrate the failure of the NIEL method to unify the electrical degradation trends observed in both protons and electrons irradiated devices. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) reveals distinct defect spectra for each particle type, yet a strong linear correlation is established between the concentration of the <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Z_{\mathrm {1/2}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> center and the degradation of key electrical parameters across both particles. Combined with kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, we attribute the limitations of the NIEL method to the particle specific primary knock-on atom (PKA) spectra, which lead to divergent defect evolution. These findings provide critical insights into defect mediated degradation mechanisms, offering a more physically grounded model for the radiation hardened design of SiC power devices.