Integrated circuits based on wide bandgap semiconductors are considered an attractive option for meeting the demand for high-temperature electronics. Here, we report an analog-to-digital converter fabricated in a silicon carbide complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology now available through Europractice. The MOSFET component in this technology was measured up to 500 °C, and the key parameters, such as threshold voltage, field-effect mobility, and channel-length modulation parameters, were extracted. A 4-bit flash data converter, consisting of 266 transistors, is implemented with this technology and demonstrates correct operation up to 400 °C. Finally, the gate oxide quality is investigated by time-dependent dielectric breakdown measurements at 500 °C. A field-acceleration factor of 4.4 dec/(MV/cm) is obtained by applying the E model.

The demand for accurate temperature sensing in extreme temperatures is increasing. Traditional silicon-based integrated temperature sensors usually cannot survive above 200 °C. Many researchers have started to focus on semiconductors with a large bandgap. Among them, silicon carbide (SiC) is the most promising one. Nevertheless, most reported SiC sensors are in the form of discrete components and are not compatible with integrated electronics. In this work, we demonstrate an open 4H-SiC CMOS technology, and the fabrication steps are detailed. The temperature sensing elements in this technology, including resistors based on different implanted layers and MOSFETs, are characterized up to 600 °C. At room temperature, the resistive-based elements demonstrate large negative temperature coefficients of resistance (TCRs). With increasing temperature, the TCR starts to decrease and even becomes positive. The TCR change is due to the interplay between increasing dopant ionization rate and decreasing mobility as a function of temperature. The resistance change with temperature fits well into the Steinhart-Hart model and second-order polynomial equation. The p-type diode-connected MOSFET has a sensitivity of 4.35 mV/°C with a good linearity. The nMOS-based sensor has a maximum sensitivity of -9.24 mV/°C but a compromised linearity. The characterization of these sensing elements provides important results for potential users who will work on SiC integrated temperature sensing with this technology.

The next generation of satellites will need to tackle tomorrow's challenges for communication, navigation and observation. In order to do so, it is expected that the amount of satellites in orbit will keep increasing, form smart constellations and miniaturize individual satellites to make access to space cost effective. To enable this next generation of activities in space, it is vital to ensure the ability of these satellites to properly navigate themselves. This control starts with attitude measurement by the dedicated sensors on the satellite, commonly performed by sun position sensors. The state-of-the art is confronted by large signal distortions caused by light reflected by the Earth's albedo as well as keeping up with the satellite miniaturization trend. This work aims to address both these issues, by presenting a microfabricated albedo insensitive sun position sensor in silicon carbide with wafer-level integrated optics. The presented 10 mm×10 mm×1 mm system reaches a mean angular accuracy of 5.7° in a ±37° field-of-view and integrates an on-chip temperature sensor with a -3.9 mV K⁻¹ sensitivity in the 20 °C to 200 °C range.

This work presents the design and characterization of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with silicon carbide (SiC) for sensing applications in harsh environments. The SiC-based ADC is implemented with the state-of-the-art low-voltage SiC complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology developed by Fraunhofer IISB. Two types of ADCs, i.e., a 4-bit flash ADC and a 6-bit successive-approximation (SAR) ADC, are designed and simulated up to 300 degrees Celsius. The measurement results show that the 4-bit SiC flash ADC can operate reliably up to at least 200 degrees Celsius, which outperforms the Si counterpart regarding the maximum operating temperature.

In this work, a highly linear temperature sensor based on a silicon carbide (SiC) p-n diode is presented. Under a constant current biasing, the diode has an excellent linear response to the temperature (from room temperature to 600°C). The best linearity (coefficient of determination ${R}^{{2}}$ = 99.98%) is achieved when the current density is 0.53 mA/cm2. The maximum sensitivity of the p-n diode is 3.04 mV/°C. The temperature sensor is fully compatible with Fraunhofer Institute (FHG) IISB's open SiC CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) technology, thus enabling the monolithic integration with SiC readout circuits for high-temperature applications. The sensor also features a simple fabrication process. To our knowledge, the presented device is the first SiC diode temperature sensor that does not require a mesa etch or backside contacts.

The wide bandgap of silicon carbide (SiC) has attracted a large interest over the past years in many research fields, such as power electronics, high operation temperature circuits, harsh environmental sensing, and more. To facilitate research on complex integrated SiC circuits, ensure reproducibility, and cut down cost, the availability of a low-voltage SiC technology for integrated circuits is of paramount importance. Here, we report on a scalable and open state-of-the-art SiC CMOS technology that addresses this need. An overview of technology parameters, including MOSFET threshold voltage, subthreshold slope, slope factor, and process transconductance, is reported. Conventional integrated digital and analog circuits, ranging from inverters to a 2-bit analog-to-digital converter, are reported. First yield predictions for both analog and digital circuits show great potential for increasing the amount of integrated devices in future applications.