A comprehensive study of current conduction during breakdown of Floating Field Ring terminations at arbitrary current levels

Conference: PCIM Europe 2015 - International Exhibition and Conference for Power Electronics, Intelligent Motion, Renewable Energy and Energy Management
05/19/2015 - 05/20/2015 at Nürnberg, Deutschland

Proceedings: PCIM Europe 2015

Pages: 8Language: englishTyp: PDF

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Authors:
Mirone, P.; Maresca, L.; Riccio, M.; Falco, G. De; Romano, G.; Irace, A.; Breglio, G. (Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, University Federico II, Via Claudio 21, 80125 Naples, Italy)

Abstract:
In this work the current path at high current levels in avalanche conditions for a Floating Field Ring (FFR) termination for a 600V PT-IGBT is analyzed. To highlight the high current effects, two design optimization techniques were adopted. Both the optimization techniques are based on TCAD simulations. 2D TCAD simulations were performed to analyze the current paths in the two structures in different operative conditions. Unclamped Inductive Switching (UIS) test condition was investigated through electro-thermal simulations. Although both structures show different behavior at Low Current Levels (LCL), instead, the effects at High Current Levels (HCL) tend to even out. In both cases the same current crowing at the main junction have appeared, leading to a current filamentation in a reduced area of the overall termination and a reduction of the avalanche reliability.