Ageing and failure modes of IGBT modules in high-temperature power cycling

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study on the ageing of insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power modules. The aim is to identify the effects of power cycling on these devices with high baseplate temperatures (60 °C to 90 °C and wide temperature swings (60 °C to 100 °C). These values for thermal stresses have been defined according to automotive applications. The test conditions are provided by two types of test benches that will be described in this paper. The changes in electrical and thermal indicators are observed regularly by a monitoring system. At the end of the test (reaching damage criterion or failure), different analyses are performed (acoustic scanning and SEM imaging), and the damage is listed systematically. Nineteen samples of 600-V 200-A IGBT modules were thus aged using five different power-cycling protocols. The final summary of results shows that ageing mechanisms mainly concern wire bonds and emitter metallization, with gradual impact depending on protocol severity.

Original language	English
Article number	5711661
Pages (from-to)	4931-4941
Number of pages	11
Journal	IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics
Volume	58
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TIE.2011.2114313
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2011
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Power electronics
reliability testing
semiconductor devices

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Control and Systems Engineering
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1109/TIE.2011.2114313

Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Ageing and failure modes of IGBT modules in high-temperature power cycling'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

Smet, V., Forest, F., Huselstein, J. J., Richardeau, F., Khatir, Z., Lefebvre, S., & Berkani, M. (2011). Ageing and failure modes of IGBT modules in high-temperature power cycling. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 58(10), 4931-4941. [5711661]. https://doi.org/10.1109/TIE.2011.2114313

@article{f484b8edb033481091ddd22d859e1f62,

title = "Ageing and failure modes of IGBT modules in high-temperature power cycling",

abstract = "This paper presents an experimental study on the ageing of insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power modules. The aim is to identify the effects of power cycling on these devices with high baseplate temperatures (60 °C to 90 °C and wide temperature swings (60 °C to 100 °C). These values for thermal stresses have been defined according to automotive applications. The test conditions are provided by two types of test benches that will be described in this paper. The changes in electrical and thermal indicators are observed regularly by a monitoring system. At the end of the test (reaching damage criterion or failure), different analyses are performed (acoustic scanning and SEM imaging), and the damage is listed systematically. Nineteen samples of 600-V 200-A IGBT modules were thus aged using five different power-cycling protocols. The final summary of results shows that ageing mechanisms mainly concern wire bonds and emitter metallization, with gradual impact depending on protocol severity.",

keywords = "Power electronics, reliability testing, semiconductor devices",

author = "Vanessa Smet and Francois Forest and Huselstein, {Jean Jacques} and Fr{\'e}d{\'e}ric Richardeau and Zoubir Khatir and St{\'e}phane Lefebvre and Mounira Berkani",

year = "2011",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1109/TIE.2011.2114313",

language = "English",

volume = "58",

pages = "4931--4941",

journal = "IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics",

issn = "0278-0046",

publisher = "IEEE Industrial Electronics Society",

number = "10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ageing and failure modes of IGBT modules in high-temperature power cycling

AU - Smet, Vanessa

AU - Forest, Francois

AU - Huselstein, Jean Jacques

AU - Richardeau, Frédéric

AU - Khatir, Zoubir

AU - Lefebvre, Stéphane

AU - Berkani, Mounira

PY - 2011/1/1

Y1 - 2011/1/1

N2 - This paper presents an experimental study on the ageing of insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power modules. The aim is to identify the effects of power cycling on these devices with high baseplate temperatures (60 °C to 90 °C and wide temperature swings (60 °C to 100 °C). These values for thermal stresses have been defined according to automotive applications. The test conditions are provided by two types of test benches that will be described in this paper. The changes in electrical and thermal indicators are observed regularly by a monitoring system. At the end of the test (reaching damage criterion or failure), different analyses are performed (acoustic scanning and SEM imaging), and the damage is listed systematically. Nineteen samples of 600-V 200-A IGBT modules were thus aged using five different power-cycling protocols. The final summary of results shows that ageing mechanisms mainly concern wire bonds and emitter metallization, with gradual impact depending on protocol severity.

AB - This paper presents an experimental study on the ageing of insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power modules. The aim is to identify the effects of power cycling on these devices with high baseplate temperatures (60 °C to 90 °C and wide temperature swings (60 °C to 100 °C). These values for thermal stresses have been defined according to automotive applications. The test conditions are provided by two types of test benches that will be described in this paper. The changes in electrical and thermal indicators are observed regularly by a monitoring system. At the end of the test (reaching damage criterion or failure), different analyses are performed (acoustic scanning and SEM imaging), and the damage is listed systematically. Nineteen samples of 600-V 200-A IGBT modules were thus aged using five different power-cycling protocols. The final summary of results shows that ageing mechanisms mainly concern wire bonds and emitter metallization, with gradual impact depending on protocol severity.

KW - Power electronics

KW - reliability testing

KW - semiconductor devices

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80052364508&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80052364508&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1109/TIE.2011.2114313

DO - 10.1109/TIE.2011.2114313

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:80052364508

VL - 58

SP - 4931

EP - 4941

JO - IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics

JF - IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics

SN - 0278-0046

IS - 10

M1 - 5711661

ER -