A more accurate electromagnetic modeling of WBG power modules

Abstract

A major requirement for further development of wide-band gap (WBG) power devices and their applications is the optimization of packages and PCB layouts to enable fast-switching capabilities. Electromagnetic modelling allows the prediction of parasitic inductances, capacitances, and resistances of the current paths within power modules, which cannot be easily approached in measurements. As a result, electromagnetic-circuit-coupled modeling enables the optimization of package layouts and interconnections before manufacturing actual power modules. The accuracy and limitations of present numerical techniques for three-dimensional (3D) electromagnetic modeling of power modules is still neither well understood nor verified. This paper presents the extraction of parasitics of power semiconductor packages using two electromagnetic modelling approaches. The first approach is based on a well-established 3D electromagnetic quasi-static solver, ANSYS Q3D Extractor. For the second approach, a numerical solver based on the Partial Element Equivalent Circuit (PEEC) method is developed and assessed in terms of modelling accuracy required by fast switching WBG-based power converters. The PEEC method is presented as a promising numerical technique, which can potentially be used to overcome the limitations of the EM modeling based on the ANSYS Q3D Extractor.