TEMPERATURE-MEASUREMENTS AND THERMAL MODELING OF HIGH-POWER IGBT MULTICHIP MODULES FOR RELIABILITY INVESTIGATIONS IN TRACTION APPLICATIONS

To study the failure mechanisms induced on high power IC;BT multichip modules by thermal cycling stress in traction environment, a good know ledge of the temperature distribution and variations on the chips and in the interfaces between the different layers of the packaging is nec essary. This paper presents a methodology for contact temperature meas urements on chips surface in power cycling conditions and a fast 3D th ermal simulation tool for multilayered hybrid or monolithic circuits. The results of static and dynamic thermal simulation of a 1200A-3300V IGBT module are given and compared with the contact temperature measur ements results. The investigation has been done within the RAPSDRA (Re liability of Advanced High Power Semiconductor Device for Traction App lications) European project. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.