Uneven temperature effect evaluation in high-power IGBT inverter legs and relative test platform design

This paper presents a high-power IGBT testing platform for uneven temperature conditions and its design criteria. Considering the influence of layout parasitic parameters on the measurement results, commutation rules and independent junction temperature control, a universal high-power switching characterization platform is built and operated. Importantly, it is capable of 3.6 kA current level test requirement, which can cover the largest current level for the state-of-the-art IGBT modules. To improve the test accuracy of double pulse test method, a compensation algorithm is proposed to eliminate the circuit power loss under high current test conditions. Moreover, in order to simulate the uneven junction temperature effects occurring in real life, the junction temperatures of inspected IGBT and freewheeling diode are controlled independently. Quantitative analyses of the switching characteristics for junction temperatures up to 125 °C are performed.