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Novel 3-kV 4H-SiC reverse blocking (RB) metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) have been demonstrated for high-voltage bidirectional switching applications. To achieve RB capability, a series Schottky barrier diode structure was introduced onto the backside of the 4H-SiC MOSFET. The developed SiC RB MOSFET exhibits bidirectional blocking voltage over 3 kV and a differential specific on-resistance of 20 $\text{m}\Omega ~\cdot $ cm2 at room temperature. In an inductive-load switching measurement, the RB MOSFET showed good turn-ON/-OFF characteristics at 1 kV. The bidirectional switch configured by the developed RB MOSFETs exhibited lower ON-state power loss than the series connection of the standard SiC MOSFETs at wide range of temperature and operation current, demonstrating the advantage of the SiC RB MOSFET as a high-performance bidirectional switch.

Two theoretical approaches appropriate for two-dimensional plasma photonic crystals reveal dispersions of propagating waves including photonic (electromagnetic) band gaps and multiflatbands. A modified plane-wave expansion method yields dispersions of collisional periodical plasmas, and the complex-value solution of a wave equation by a finite difference method enables us to obtain dispersions with structure effects in an individual microplasma. Periodical plasma arrays form band gaps as well as normal photonic crystals, and multiflatbands are present below the electron plasma frequency in the transverse electric field mode. Electron elastic collisions lower the top frequency of the multiflatbands but have little effect on band gap properties. The spatial gradient of the local dielectric constant resulting from an electron density profile widens the frequency region of the multiflatbands, as demonstrated by the change of surface wave distributions. Propagation properties described in dispersions including band gaps and flatbands agree with experimental observations of microplasma arrays.

We experimentally verified that a microplasma assembly can create a functional dielectric layer for the propagation of electromagnetic waves as a “plasma photonic crystal.” A two-dimensional array in a square lattice was composed of columnar plasmas of about 2mm in diameter, and the transmitted microwaves at 70–75GHz showed a change of energy flow direction. This result is attributed to the fact that periodical structure is composed of individual plasma columns with a different dispersion than the ambient part and the experimental frequency range lies in the vicinity of the lowest band gap of the photonic crystal calculated theoretically.

Plasma photonic band gaps have been observed in a two-dimensional microplasma array, and we have characterized their properties by both experimental and theoretical results. Microplasma columns ignited in helium near atmospheric pressure formed crystal-like structures in a square lattice with a lattice constant from 1.5to2.5mm. Microwaves in the millimeter range transmitting through the array region attenuated at frequencies of photonic band gap in the Γ‐X direction, as predicted by the modified plane-wave expansion method. Frequency dependence around the band gap was clarified in the numerical analysis of electromagnetic wave propagation and agreed with experimental results. Electron density in microplasmas was estimated to be 1×1013cm−3 from the attenuation rate at the band gap in the Γ‐X direction. Variation of the lattice constant induced frequency shift of the band gap in the millimeter and subterahertz regions, and so plasma photonic crystal can perform as a dynamically controllable band-stop filter.