Considering　potential　applications　related　to　superconductivity　and　aerospace　(typically　less　than　100　K),　in　this　article,　the　temperature　dependence　of　silicon　carbide　(SiC)　power　diodes　is　systematically　characterized　and　analyzed　over　a　wide　temperature　range　of　90-478　K,　especially　focusing　on　cryogenic　temperature.　First,　the　static　performance　degradation　mechanism　of　SiC　diodes　is　established　in　an　ultrawide　temperature　range,　including　forward/reverse　I-V　characteristics　and　junction　capacitance　(Cj)　characteristics.　Second,　the　reverse　recovery　characteristics　are　achieved,　including　peak　reverse　recovery　current　(Irm),　reverse　recovery　charge　(Qrr),　and　switching　energy　(Esw),　clarifying　a　clearer　internal　relationship　between　reverse　recovery　and　junction　temperature.　Meanwhile,　the　aforementioned　critical　parameters　are　further　analyzed　on　an　electrical　scale　with　normal　atmosphere　temperature,　including　switching　speed　range　of　62.3-2054.8　A/μs,　load　current　range　of　6-30　A,　and　dc　voltage　range　of　400-1000　V.　Third,　based　on　newly　proposed　power　loss　analysis　method,　the　continuous　operation　performance　of　SiC　diodes　is　quantified　and　analyzed　in　actual　cryogenic　converters.　The　excellent　temperature　dependence　indicates　that　SiC　diodes　have　great　superiority　for　extreme　applications.　Importantly,　SiC　mosfet＇s　body　diode　shows　the　great　potential　to　operate　as　a　freewheeling　diode　in　the　compact　converter,　especially　at　cryogenic　temperature.　©　1986-2012　IEEE.