Interconnect materials enabling IGBT modules to achieve stable short circuit failure behavior

Li, Jianfeng; Yaqub, Imran; Corfield, Martin; Johnson, Christopher Mark

Abstract

Insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules, which can fail to stable short-circuit mode, have major applications in electricity network-related fields. Sn-3.5Ag solder joints and sintered Ag joints for the die attachment and Mo, Cu, Sn-3.5Ag, Al, and Ag foils for the top side insert (TSI) material in press pack like single IGBT samples have been investigated using overcurrent and current passage tests. The results reveal that Sn-3.5Ag solder joints in combination with Sn-3.5Ag, Al, or Ag foils can be employed to achieve stable short-circuit failure mode, where the best results are achieved with Ag foils. This can be attributed to the formation of conductive networks/channels through the failed IGBT and good alignment between the residual TSI material and the failed IGBT.

Citation

Li, J., Yaqub, I., Corfield, M., & Johnson, C. M. (2017). Interconnect materials enabling IGBT modules to achieve stable short circuit failure behavior. IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology, 7(5), 734-744. https://doi.org/10.1109/TCPMT.2017.2683202

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 13, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Apr 6, 2017
• Publication Date: 2017-05
• Deposit Date: Mar 22, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 6, 2017
• Journal: IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology
• Print ISSN: 2156-3950
• Electronic ISSN: 2156-3985
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 734-744
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TCPMT.2017.2683202
• Keywords: Electronics packaging, Failure to short circuit, Finite element analysis, Overcurrent failure, Power module, Scanning electronic microscopy, Semiconductor device packaging
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/854801
• Publisher URL: http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7893799/
• Additional Information: (c) 2017 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other users, including reprinting/ republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted components of this work in other works.
• Contract Date: Mar 22, 2017