A silicon carbide power MOSFET having a drain region of a first conductivity type, a base region of a second conductivity type above the drain region, and a source region of the first conductivity type adjacent an upper surface of the base region, the base region including a channel extending from the source region through the base region adjacent a gate interface surface thereof, the channel having a length less than approximately 0.6 μm, and the base region having a doping concentration of the second conductivity type sufficiently high that the potential barrier at the source end of the channel is not lowered by the voltage applied to the drain. The MOSFET includes self-aligned base and source regions as well as self-aligned ohmic contacts to the base and source regions.