Active cycling reliability of power devices: Expectations and limitations

Abstract Active cycling of power devices, i.e. exposure to repetitive voltage and current pulses, causes power dissipation, resulting in thermo-mechanical loads that can cause different failure mechanisms. This paper focuses on degradation of the metallization. Requirements and customer expectations, using examples from automotive applications, are discussed, contrasting these with the procedures for reliability assessment and their limitations.

[1]  Sebastiano Russo,et al.  Fast thermal fatigue on top metal layer of power devices , 2002, Microelectron. Reliab..

[2]  Werner Kanert,et al.  Reliability challenges for power devices under active cycling , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium.

[3]  Mauro Ciappa.  Lifetime prediction on the base of mission profiles , 2005, Microelectron. Reliab..

[4]  Josef Lutz,et al.  Model for Power Cycling lifetime of IGBT Modules - various factors influencing lifetime , 2008 .

[5]  Rudolf Schlangen,et al.  Dynamic lock-in thermography for operation mode-dependent thermally active fault localization , 2010, Microelectron. Reliab..

[6]  Stéphane Lefebvre,et al.  A study of the effect of degradation of the aluminium metallization layer in the case of power semiconductor devices , 2011, Microelectron. Reliab..

[7]  Mauro Ciappa,et al.  Plastic-strain of aluminium interconnections during pulsed operation of IGBT multichip modules , 1996 .

[8]  Stefan Decker,et al.  A reliable technology concept for active power cycling to extreme temperatures , 2011, Microelectron. Reliab..

[9]  Keith C. Norris,et al.  Reliability of controlled collapse interconnections , 1969 .

[10]  Philippe Dupuy,et al.  3D Electro-thermal modelling of bonding and metallization ageing effects for reliability improvement of power MOSFETs , 2011, Microelectron. Reliab..

[11]  M. Thoben,et al.  Power cycling tests at high temperatures with IGBT power modules for hybrid electrical vehicle applications , 2010, 3rd Electronics System Integration Technology Conference ESTC.

[12]  Vladimír Kosel,et al.  Flexible active cycle stress testing of smart power switches , 2007, Microelectron. Reliab..

[13]  Martin Pfost,et al.  Measurement and Simulation of Self-Heating in DMOS Transistors up to Very High Temperatures , 2008, 2008 20th International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and IC's.

[14]  A. Benmansour,et al.  A step by step methodology to analyze the IGBT failure mechanisms under short circuit and turn-off inductive conditions using 2D physically based device simulation , 2007, Microelectron. Reliab..

[15]  Joost J. Vlassak,et al.  Bauschinger and size effects in thin-film plasticity , 2006 .