Stray Inductance Reduction of Commutation Loop in the P-cell and N-cell-Based IGBT Phase Leg Module

• Published in: IEEE transactions on power electronics Vol. 29; no. 7; pp. 3616 - 3624
• Main Authors: Shengnan Li, Tolbert, Leon M., Fei Wang, Fang Zheng Peng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-07-2014; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Analyzers; Applied sciences; Commutation; Commutation loop; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Electric potential; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electromagnetics; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Finite element analysis; Inductance; Inductance measurement; Insulated gate bipolar transistors; insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT); Integrated circuits; Layout; Modules; Multichip modules; N-cell; Other multijunction devices. Power transistors. Thyristors; P-cell; Packaging; phase-leg module; Reduction; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Simulation; stray inductance; Switches; Testing, measurement, noise and reliability; Testing. Reliability. Quality control; Transistors; Voltage; Wires; Electromagnetism; Prototype; N-cell; Insulated gate bipolar transistor; Power electronics; Analyzer; Experimental study; Switching; Power transistor; Finite element method; Commutation loop; Inductance; stray inductance; P-cell; Layout; insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT); Electronic packaging; Testing equipment; System simulation; phase-leg module; Impedance
• ISSN: 0885-8993; 1941-0107
• DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2013.2279258

This paper proposes a novel packaging method for insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules based on the concepts of P-cell and N-cell. The novel packaging reduces the stray inductance in the current commutation path in a phase-leg module and hence improves the switching behavior. A P-cell- and N-cell-based module and a conventional module are designed. Using finite-element-analysis-based Ansys Q3D Extractor, electromagnetic simulations are conducted to extract the stray inductance from the two modules. Two prototype phase-leg modules based on the two different designs are fabricated. The parasitics are measured using a precision impedance analyzer. Finally, a double pulse tester based-switching characterization is performed to illustrate the effect of stray inductance reduction in the proposed packaging design. The experimental results show the reduction in overshoot voltage with the proposed layout.