Effects of thermal cycling on aluminum metallization of power diodes

Brincker, Mads; Pedersen, Kristian Bonderup; Kristensen, Peter Kjær; Popok, Vladimír

doi:10.1016/j.microrel.2015.06.005

Cited by 15 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Subsequently, the huge thermo-mechanical stress may exceed the elastic limit of the thin aluminium film, which may cause plastic deformation at the grain boundaries, leading to the extrusion of aluminium grains or cavitation effects at the grain boundaries [50]. In this case, the active cross-section of the metallization is reduced and the sheet resistance R sheet increases linearly [50]- [55]. Thus, the collector-emitter voltage V ce,on will have a linear increase, which can indicate the metallization reconstruction [45], [56].…”

Section: ) Metallization Reconstruction Mechanismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ensuring a Reliable Operation of Two-Level IGBT-Based Power Converters: A Review of Monitoring and Fault-Tolerant Approaches

Liu

Yang

et al. 2020

IEEE Access

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Despite the emerging multi-phase and multi-level converters, two-level insulated gate bipolar transistor-based power converters are still widely used in industrial applications in nowadays. Thus, its reliability is of significant importance for ensuring industrial safety. In this paper, a review of the possibilities to ensure the reliable operation of these power converters is presented. The possible approaches are categorized into two groups: condition monitoring and fault-tolerant control. The former approach performs the monitoring methods of power converters, which enables the identification of device degradation to be realized. Accordingly, the mechanisms, indicators, and measuring methods of degradation are demonstrated in this paper to assist the design of condition-based maintenance. In contrast, the latter approach is a postfault one, where power converters remain the operation by activating the fault-tolerant units after faults are identified. For this approach, fault detection, fault isolation, and tolerant strategies are essential. Finally, the performance and cost-effectiveness of the two categories are discussed in this paper. INDEX TERMS Two-level power converter, reliability, condition Monitoring, fault tolerance, renewable energy application, insulated gate bipolar transistor.

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Section: ) Metallization Reconstruction Mechanismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ensuring a Reliable Operation of Two-Level IGBT-Based Power Converters: A Review of Monitoring and Fault-Tolerant Approaches

Liu

Yang

et al. 2020

IEEE Access

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“…For the electrical characterization, the van der Pauw method [30] is used according to the procedure described in [19].…”

Section: Electrical Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Study of Al Metallization Degradation in Power Diodes Under Passive and Active Thermal Cycling

Brincker

Pedersen

Kristensen

et al. 2018

IEEE Trans. Compon., Packag. Manufact. Technol.

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Degradation of Al metallization on Si-based semiconductor chips under operation is a reliability problem known for many years but the mechanisms of this phenomenon are not fully understood. To quantify contributions of different possible effects, a passive thermal cycling setup has been developed allowing for accelerated tests by varying the device temperature on a short time scale without applying electrical power. The setup is also capable of testing devices in different atmospheres. The results obtained by the thermal tests of diode chips are compared to those from power cycled diodes with focus on degradation of the top metallization layer. The data on structural and electrical characterization of the samples show that the passive thermal cycling induces metallization degradation very similar to that found for the power cycled devices. Thus, it can be concluded that the thermal-induced stresses are the dominating mechanisms for the metallization fatigue and following failure. The role of oxidation and corrosion effects is also studied in the experiments on passive thermal cycling using different environmental conditions. It is suggested that the formation of self-passivating aluminum oxide under ordinary atmospheric conditions can play a positive role in limiting the structural, and electrical degradation of the metallization layers. The obtained results represent a considerable contribution into understanding of major failure mechanisms related to metallization fatigue and reconstruction.

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“…The stress is then localized at the interface between materials and cracks are likely to be formed and to propagate in the aluminum wire [8]. In the case of aluminum reconstruction, thermo-mechanical stresses result in tensile stress at the metallization layer [9]. This type of process can exceed the elastic limits of the aluminum layer, leading to the formation of extrusion granules.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Power Cycling Test Methodology on the Applicability of the Linear Damage Accumulation Rule for the Lifetime Estimation in Power Devices

Vaccaro

Magnone

2023

IEEE Trans. Power Electron.

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The lifetime of power semiconductor devices, operating under a given mission profile and subjected to power cycling stress, is conventionally estimated under the assumption of linear damage accumulation rule, that is the application of the Miner's rule. To this purpose, lifetime models must be properly defined allowing to take into account for the relevant parameters of power cycling stress. This work shows how to estimate a cumulative distribution function in the case of an arbitrary temperature swing profile, starting from the statistical distribution at constant power cycling conditions. It is found that the accuracy of the linear damage accumulation rule is related to the experimental methodology adopted for power cycling tests. A detailed experimental activity is carried out on packaged IGBT devices, providing useful guidelines for the definition of lifetime models to be adopted in the Miner's rule.

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Effects of thermal cycling on aluminum metallization of power diodes

Cited by 15 publications

References 12 publications

Ensuring a Reliable Operation of Two-Level IGBT-Based Power Converters: A Review of Monitoring and Fault-Tolerant Approaches

Ensuring a Reliable Operation of Two-Level IGBT-Based Power Converters: A Review of Monitoring and Fault-Tolerant Approaches

Comparative Study of Al Metallization Degradation in Power Diodes Under Passive and Active Thermal Cycling

Influence of Power Cycling Test Methodology on the Applicability of the Linear Damage Accumulation Rule for the Lifetime Estimation in Power Devices

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