Failure Analysis and Reliability of Power Semiconductor Devices

Failure analysis and characterization designed for power semiconductor devices

Power electronics are undergoing a radical transformation with the introduction of wide-bandgap devices, such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride. From electric vehicles to industrial applications, compound semiconductors are especially appealing for their ability to handle higher temperatures, voltages, or switching frequencies.

 

However, new materials and architectures can make quality and failure analysis difficult. Addressing these challenges involves identifying nanoscale crystalline faults in substrates and epilayers, characterizing material interfaces and dopant regions, and isolating small leakage currents in the device under microns of metal.

 

Thermo Fisher Scientific specializes in solutions for failure analysis and reliability in power semiconductor devices, offering workflows and solutions for sample preparation, fault isolation, advanced characterization, and more.

3D reconstruction reveals defects in a GaN power device

Applications for power semiconductor analysis and characterization

 

Power device analysis can involve characterization of substrate quality, epitaxial layers, and interfaces as well as understanding defects buried within the device.

Techniques for failure analysis and reliability of power semiconductors

 

A variety of techniques may be necessary to extract essential information from a power device.