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Reliability of repetitively avalanched wire-bonded low-voltage discrete power trench n-MOSFETs

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Alatise, Olayiwola M., Kennedy, Ian, Petkos, George and Koh, Adrian. (2011) Reliability of repetitively avalanched wire-bonded low-voltage discrete power trench n-MOSFETs. IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability, Vol.11 (No.1). pp. 157-163. ISSN 1530-4388

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TDMR.2010.2102026

Abstract

This paper, for the first time, investigates the reliability of wire-bonded low-voltage discrete power trench n-MOSFETs that have been subjected to repetitive unclamped inductive switching (RUIS). Automotive MOSFETs driving inductive loads may be subjected to RUIS; hence, there is a need to characterize the failure mechanisms in such applications. The failure mechanisms of repetitively avalanched wire-bonded MOSFETs are shown to be wire-bond lift-off and source metal degradation/fatigue due to thermomechanical stress cycling. Temperature excursions from avalanche pulses cause thermomechanical stresses on the wire-bond/source-metal interface as a result of differences in thermal expansion coefficients between silicon and aluminum. Trench MOSFETs exhibited an average of 10% increase in on-state resistance due to source metal fatigue after 100 million cycles of repetitive avalanche. The number of cycles to failure is investigated as a function of the avalanched induced temperature changes and is shown to follow the Coffin-Manson law. These results are important for designers of automotive systems since they are capable of predicting the long-term reliability of wire-bonded discrete power semiconductor components.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics Nuclear engineering
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Engineering
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors, Wire bonding (Electronic packaging)
Journal or Publication Title:	IEEE Transactions on Device and Materials Reliability
Publisher:	IEEE
ISSN:	1530-4388
Date:	March 2011
Volume:	Vol.11
Number:	No.1
Page Range:	pp. 157-163
Identification Number:	10.1109/TDMR.2010.2102026
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/37119