Set-Up for Measuring Thermal Parameters of Power Semiconductor Devices

Abstract

In order to determine the junction temperature of semiconductor devices operating at different power supply and cooling conditions, their thermal parameters are needed. This article describes an original measurement set-up enabling the determination of thermal parameters of power semiconductor devices. In contrast to other set-ups described in the literature, this set-up makes it possible to measure thermal parameters which characterize the efficiency of the removal generated due to a self-heating phenomenon, as well as the parameters characterizing mutual thermal couplings. The presented set-up makes use of an indirect electrical method to determine the junction temperature of diodes, bipolar and unipolar transistors and IGBTs. The methods used to measure the self and transfer transient thermal impedances of these devices and the construction of the set-up are described. The influence of selected factors on the accuracy of the measurements is analyzed. Examples of the measurement results of thermal parameters (self and transfer transient thermal impedances) of power semiconductor devices operating at different cooling conditions are presented. The obtained research results are discussed.