Simultaneous On-State Voltage and Bond-Wire Resistance Monitoring of Silicon Carbide MOSFETs

Nick Baker, Haoze Luo and Francesco Iannuzzo
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Nick Baker: Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark
Haoze Luo: Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark
Francesco Iannuzzo: Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 3, 1-8

Abstract: In fast switching power semiconductors, the use of a fourth terminal to provide the reference potential for the gate signal—known as a kelvin-source terminal—is becoming common. The introduction of this terminal presents opportunities for condition monitoring systems. This article demonstrates how the voltage between the kelvin-source and power-source can be used to specifically monitor bond-wire degradation. Meanwhile, the drain to kelvin-source voltage can be monitored to track defects in the semiconductor die or gate driver. Through an accelerated aging test on 20 A Silicon Carbide Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor-Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs), it is shown that there are opposing trends in the evolution of the on-state resistances of both the bond-wires and the MOSFET die. In summary, after 50,000 temperature cycles, the resistance of the bond-wires increased by up to 2 m?, while the on-state resistance of the MOSFET dies decreased by approximately 1 m?. The conventional failure precursor (monitoring a single forward voltage) cannot distinguish between semiconductor die or bond-wire degradation. Therefore, the ability to monitor both these parameters due to the presence of an auxiliary-source terminal can provide more detailed information regarding the aging process of a device.

Keywords: Silicon Carbide MOSFET; reliability; power semiconductors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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