Power Cycling of 1.7kV Multi-Chip Power Modules – SiC MOSFETs vs Silicon IGBTs

Abstract:
In this paper we compare the lifetime and thermal resistance of Silicon Carbide MOSFET and Silicon IGBT multi-chip power modules. Five module variants are presented, all rated for 1.7 kV and 1000 A. Module lifetime is compared using active power cycling with temperature swings of between 80deg C to 100deg C, a 2-second on-time, and 6-second off-time. We observed large variation in performance between module variants, as well as between samples of the same module variant. The paper describes the test procedure and steps taken to achieve a fair comparison between each module. Results are presented anonymously.