Advanced methodology for fast 3-D TCAD electrothermal simulation of power HEMTs including package

This paper introduces an advanced methodology for fast 3-D TCAD electrothermal simulation for the analysis of complex power devices including package and cooling assemblies. The proposed methodology is based on coupling a 3-D finite element method (FEM) thermal model of the package, 3-D FEM electrical model of the metallization layers and circuit electrical model using a mixed-mode setup in Synopsys TCAD Sentaurus environment. This approach combines the speed and accuracy, and couples temperature and current density nonuniformity in structure and metallization layers. A power InAlN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is used to perform validation of the designed electrothermal simulation. The simulation results are compared with measured data and 2/3-D FEM simulations. The low time consuming simulation approach helps to optimize more complex power structures and systems including all main fabrication parameters from semiconductor layers, metallization, package, and up to cooling assemblies.