Title :
Effects on power transistors of Terrestrial Cosmic Rays: Study, experimental results and analysis
Author :
Consentino, G. ; Laudani, M. ; Privitera, Giuseppe ; Pace, Calogero ; Giordano, C. ; Hernandez, Jaime ; Mazzeo, M.
Author_Institution :
Power Transistor Div., STMicroelectron., Catania, Italy
Abstract :
High voltage power transistors used in inverters for photovoltaic panels and avionic applications are naturally exposed to Terrestrial Cosmic Rays, or Atmospheric Neutrons, which are known to induce catastrophic failures such as burnouts or gate ruptures. Accelerated tests on different power MOSFETs and IGBTs technologies were performed in ANITA neutron facility, at Uppsala, Sweden. Experimental details and results will be presented and discussed.
Keywords :
avionics; cosmic ray interactions; cosmic ray neutrons; insulated gate bipolar transistors; invertors; power MOSFET; solar cells; ANITA neutron facility; IGBT; Sweden; Uppsala; atmospheric neutrons; avionic applications; catastrophic failures; high voltage power transistors; inverters; photovoltaic panels; power MOSFET; terrestrial cosmic rays; Cosmic rays; Insulated gate bipolar transistors; MOSFET; Neutrons; Power transistors; Standards; Threshold voltage;
Conference_Titel :
Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), 2014 Twenty-Ninth Annual IEEE
Conference_Location :
Fort Worth, TX
DOI :
10.1109/APEC.2014.6803667
