Failure modes and mechanism analysis of SiC MOSFET under short-circuit conditions. (September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jiang, Xi; Wang, Jun; Lu, Jiwu; Chen, Jianjun; Yang, Xin; Li, Zongjian; Tu, Chunming; Shen, Z. John
• Is Part Of: Microelectronics and reliability. Volume 88/90(2018)
• Page Start: 593
• Page End: 597
• Publication Date: 2018-09
• Subjects: SiC MOSFET -- Short-circuit -- Failure analysis; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability -- Periodicals; Miniature electronic equipment -- Periodicals; Appareils électroniques -- Fiabilité -- Périodiques; Équipement électronique miniaturisé -- Périodiques; Electronic apparatus and appliances -- Reliability; Miniature electronic equipment; Periodicals; 621.3815
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2018.07.101
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0026-2714

Abstract

Abstract: The preliminary characterization study and analysis of the short-circuit (SC) capability of SiC MOSFET have been reported in recent years. However, the failure modes of the SiC MOSFET under various SC conditions and their physical mechanisms are unclear. The purpose of this paper is to extensively investigate the SC ruggedness, failure modes and internal physical mechanisms of the SiC MOSFET. The influence of major limiting factors on the failure mode of the SiC MOSFET is experimentally studied, including gate drive voltage, DC bus voltage, case temperature and die sizing. Two SC failure mechanisms, the thermal runaway and gate interlayer dielectric breakdown of the SiC MOSFET are identified as the root reason of failure by means of microscopic failure analysis techniques. Highlights: The failure modes of the SiC MOSFET under various short-circuit (SC) conditions is analysed. The influence of die sizing of SiC MOSFET on SC ruggedness is investigated. The failure mechanism of the gate interlayer dielectric breakdown of SiC MOSFET is carried out by microscopic analysis.