Silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor thermal characterization

Assessing SiC device thermal performance and reliability in power electronics using thermal transient testing

Silicon Carbide (SiC) power semiconductors offer advantages for power electronics modules including smaller package size, higher efficiency with lower switching losses, and better thermal performance (reducing cooling system requirements). These benefits are desirable in electric and hybrid vehicle power electronics, and for other electrification opportunities in aerospace, energy and beyond.

This webinar focuses on the application of Simcenter T3STER thermal transient measurement test technology for thermal characterization of SiC devices to determine thermal metrics precisely through to enhancing thermal simulation accuracy, reliability testing and quality assessment.

There will be an introduction to thermal measurement configurations and interpreting test generated thermal structure functions that represent the heat flow path from junction to ambient in a package. There will be discussion of both direct thermal measurement of an SiC MOSFET and also a proposed method for using a virtual sensor approach for more challenging SiC device types, that combines measurement and thermal simulation techniques. Additionally, a review is included on methods for power cycling testing of devices to identify failures due to thermally induced degradation in service for reliability and lifetime prediction studies.

Topics:

• Thermal characterization technology: heat flow path analysis and structure functions
• Silicon carbide device thermal testing study examples
• Thermal reliability testing using combined power cycling and non-destructive failure diagnosis (Simcenter POWERTESTER)