Abstract: A silicon carbide device is presented that includes a gate electrode disposed over a portion of a silicon carbide substrate as well as a dielectric film disposed over the gate electrode. The device has a contact region disposed near the gate electrode and has a layer disposed over the dielectric film and over the contact region. The layer includes nickel in portions disposed over the dielectric film and includes nickel silicide in portions disposed over the contact region. The nickel silicide layer is configured to provide an ohmic contact to the contact region of the silicon carbide device.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to silicon carbide (SiC) power devices and, more specifically, to active area designs for SiC super-junction (SJ) power devices. A SiC-SJ device includes an active area having one or more charge balance (CB) layers. Each CB layer includes a semiconductor layer having a first conductivity-type and a plurality of floating regions having a second conductivity-type disposed in a surface of the semiconductor layer. The plurality of floating regions and the semiconductor layer are both configured to substantially deplete to provide substantially equal amounts of charge from ionized dopants when a reverse bias is applied to the SiC-SJ device.

Abstract: A silicon carbide device is presented that includes a gate electrode disposed over a portion of a silicon carbide substrate as well as a dielectric film disposed over the gate electrode. The device has a contact region disposed near the gate electrode and has a layer disposed over the dielectric film and over the contact region. The layer includes nickel in portions disposed over the dielectric film and includes nickel silicide in portions disposed over the contact region. The nickel silicide layer is configured to provide an ohmic contact to the contact region of the silicon carbide device.

Abstract: A silicon carbide device is presented that includes a gate electrode disposed over a portion of a silicon carbide substrate as well as a dielectric film disposed over the gate electrode. The device has a contact region disposed near the gate electrode and has a layer disposed over the dielectric film and over the contact region. The layer includes nickel in portions disposed over the dielectric film and includes nickel silicide in portions disposed over the contact region. The nickel silicide layer is configured to provide an ohmic contact to the contact region of the silicon carbide device.

Abstract: A sensor interrogation unit in one embodiment includes a control module, a reading module, and a determination module. The control module is configured to control one or more lasers to provide a pulsed signal to at least one sensor. Each period of the pulsed signal has a first component having a first intensity and a second component having a second intensity that is lower than the first intensity. The reading module is configured to receive at least one return signal comprising reflections of the pulsed signal from the at least one sensor, to read one of the first component or the second component, and to provide frequency information based on the read reflections. The determination module is configured to determine at least one resonant frequency of the at least one sensor based on the frequency information.

Abstract: A silicon carbide device is presented that includes a gate electrode disposed over a portion of a silicon carbide substrate as well as a dielectric film disposed over the gate electrode. The device has a contact region disposed near the gate electrode and has a layer disposed over the dielectric film and over the contact region. The layer includes nickel in portions disposed over the dielectric film and includes nickel silicide in portions disposed over the contact region. The nickel silicide layer is configured to provide an ohmic contact to the contact region of the silicon carbide device.