Modelling Reliability of Power Electronics Packaging

Abstract

Power Electronics uses semiconductor technology to convert and control electrical power. Demands for efficient energy management, conversion and conservation, and the increasing take up of electronics in transport systems (i.e. all electric car) there has been tremendous growth in the use of power electronics semiconductor devices such as Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT’s). The packaging of the power electronics devices involves a number of challenges for design engineers in terms of reliability and thermal management. For example IGBT modules will contain a number of semiconductor dies within a small footprint bonded to substrates with aluminium wires and wide area solder joints. The reliability of the package will depend on thermo-mechanical behavior of these materials. This paper details the results from a major UK project involving academics and industrial partners to investigate the reliability of IGBT modules. The focus of the presentation will be on the modelling tools developed to predict reliability and also the development of prognostics techniques to predict the remaining life of the package.