SEICA offers two new solutions for testing power semiconductors. These solutions will be shown at the forthcoming PCIM Expo & Conference, which will be held from May 6th to 8th in Nuremberg, Germany, at Booth #4-235. Visitors will also be able to learn about Seica’s specialist solutions for testing probe cards.
S20 IS3 : The SEICA S20 IS3 system provides an advanced solution for testing discrete power devices, such as SiC and GaN technologies.
It is designed for both AC and DC static and dynamic testing and performs accurate and repeatable characterization of electrical parameters, which is critical for ensuring the reliability and performance of components such as IGBTs, MOSFETs, and diodes, making it an indispensable tool for R&D, production, and quality control.
Static tests measure critical parameters such as on-state voltage (Vce, Vds), leakage current (Ic, Id), and threshold voltage (Vth) to ensure that the device fulfills its electrical requirements.
Dynamic tests assess switching characteristics such as turn-on/off times, rise/fall times, and energy losses, which are crucial in real-world applications.
By evaluating both static and dynamic parameters, manufacturers may detect potential problems before the components are integrated into power systems, preventing costly field failures and assuring that devices will function optimally under operating conditions.
The S20 IS3’s innovative measurement system can perform high precision tests while offering dependable and repeatable results. It also offers a small, space-saving design with one-box integration of DC-Static, Gate, and AC-Dynamic testing.
The system is flexible, so the user can include the modules required to complete the tests today, and it is scalable, allowing for the addition of additional modules to fulfill new test requirements.
The integrated high-level, menu-driven software is user-friendly, allowing for simple test preparation, and a number of features, such as the integrated oscilloscope, ease debugging and enable full traceability of test results.
S20 RTH: The S20 RTH test bench is intended to provide exact thermal resistance (RTH) characterisation together with enhanced power and cooling management capabilities.
Transistors are by far the most important category of semiconductor devices, with nearly all of them being three-pin devices (MOSFETs, BJTs, IGBTs), and unlike diodes, they have a driving section, making them more sensitive to issues related to the interaction of power handling and the input signal.
Modern power supply design is increasingly concerned with the overall electrical efficiency of the system as well as the junction temperature of semiconductor devices, and this type of test assesses the thermal stress on power MOSFET devices when utilized in switch mode power supplies.
This computation, combined with the device’s physical properties, allows for the prediction of the temperature attained inside the junction, as well as the permitted margin or heatsink required to ensure that the system has an adequate thermal margin during operation. This technique is critical because precise computation allows for a more accurate assessment of system lifetime and ensures that the system operates within the Safe Operating Area.
The S20 RTH can safely withstand high current loads (typical configuration: 1200A @15V or 30V), allowing for accurate thermal performance measurement under real-world situations.
Seica’s power switching technology is a critical component of the test architecture, allowing for a programmable controlled shutdown of the load current, which reduces oscillations and allows the system to perform exact measurements as soon as 80us after the high current shutdown. The bench’s configuration is scalable, ranging from two Devices Under Test (DUTs) to twelve DUTs tested in simultaneously, depending on throughput requirements.
The system automatically measures and controls the temperature, flow, and pressure of the coolant to each DUT, assuring thermal stability and accurate measurements.
