Noninvasive measurement of chip currents in IGBT modules

Author

Palmer, Patrick R. ; Stark, Bernard H. ; Joyce, John C.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Eng., Cambridge Univ., UK

Volume

1

fYear

1997

fDate

22-27 Jun 1997

Firstpage

166

Abstract

Modern IGBT modules employ a number of die connected in parallel. Measurement of the effects of layout topology and variations in chip parameters and temperatures requires a noninvasive current measurement system. This paper describes a method for the noninvasive measurement of currents in modern power devices. It discusses methods for incorporating the system into test modules and shows results obtained from measurements on IGBTs. The system consists of miniature magnetic field probes and active wide bandwidth integrators. The probes are small (6 mm), immune to stray fields and are insulated up to several kV. This system has been used to show current redistribution between IGBT chips in a module at turn off and temperature dependent switching of IGBT chips. Furthermore, switching-loss distribution in parallel IGBT chips and gate topology effects were investigated

Keywords

electric current measurement; insulated gate bipolar transistors; magnetic field measurement; modules; probes; switching; IGBT modules; active wide bandwidth integrators; chip currents measurement; chip parameter variations; current redistribution; gate topology effects; layout topology; miniature magnetic field probes; noninvasive measurement; parallel IGBT chips; switching-loss distribution; temperature dependent switching; Bandwidth; Current measurement; Insulated gate bipolar transistors; Magnetic field measurement; Noninvasive treatment; Probes; Semiconductor device measurement; System testing; Temperature; Topology;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Power Electronics Specialists Conference, 1997. PESC '97 Record., 28th Annual IEEE

Conference_Location

St. Louis, MO

ISSN

0275-9306

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3840-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PESC.1997.616722

Filename

616722