Practical Challenges of High-Power IGBT’s I-V Curve Measurement and Its Importance in Reliability Analysis

Abstract

This paper examines the practical challenges of simplified setups aimed at achieving high-power IGBTs’ IC–VCE curve. The slope of this I–V curve (which is defined as on-resistance RCE) and the point where the VCE–VGE curve visibly bends (threshold gate voltage) can be suitable failure precursor parameters to determine an IGBT’s health condition. A simplified/affordable design for these specific measurements can be used for in-situ condition monitoring or field testing of switching devices. First, the possible I–V curve measurement methods are discussed in detail in order to prevent self-heating. The selected design includes two IGBTs in which the high-side IGBT was the device under test (DUT) with a constant gate voltage (VGE) of 15 V. Then, the low-side IGBT was switched by a short pulse (50 μs) to impose a high-current pulse on the DUT. The VCE–VGE curve was also extracted as an important failure-precursor indicator. In the next stage, a power-cycling test was performed, and the impact of degradation on the IGBT was analyzed by these measurement methods. The results show that after 18,000 thermal cycles, a visible shift in I–V curve can be seen. The internal resistance increased by 13%, while the initial collector-emitter voltage and voltage at the knee point in the VCE–VGE curve slightly changed. It is likely that in our case, during the performed power-cycling test and aging process, the bond wires were most affected, but this hypothesis needs further investigation.

FFC-NMR Power Supply with Hybrid Control of the Semiconductor Devices

“…Appl. 2023, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 10 mixed with their operation in the active region [19,[23][24][25][26]. Merging the non-conventional ON/OFF and linear control modes constitutes a technical novelty in the FFC-NMR field that led to a low power solution with a single-power semiconductor for a ferro-electromagnet.…”

“…The optimized solution proposed in this work is hybrid and considers an ON/OFF operation of semiconductors The control solutions that will determine the operation of the semiconductors, S and S aux , must consider the dynamic nature of the magnet current. The optimized solution proposed in this work is hybrid and considers an ON/OFF operation of semiconductors mixed with their operation in the active region [19,[23][24][25][26]. Merging the non-conventional ON/OFF and linear control modes constitutes a technical novelty in the FFC-NMR field that led to a low power solution with a single-power semiconductor for a ferro-electromagnet.…”

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