Evaluation Method for Performance of SiC Power Module by Electro-Thermal-Anisotropic Stress Coupled Analysis

Silicon carbide (SiC) has attracted increasing attention as a material suitable for use with high breakdown voltages and at high temperatures. The effects of residual stress and thermal stress on the electrical properties are therefore a matter of growing concern. To analyze the effects, multi-physics simulation is required. The aim of this study is to present an evaluation method for SiC power modules by electro-thermal-stress coupled analysis. In this analysis, we investigate the relationship among mechanical stress, temperature, and electrical resistance in 4H-SiC MOSFET. To investigate the relationship, we used a four-point bending system that is capable of applying uniaxial stress to the SiC device. We prepared two kinds of test specimens with the uniaxial stress direction of four-point bending coinciding with the 〈112̄0〉 and 〈11̄00〉 direction of SiC. To associate the four-point bending load with the stress components in the SiC device, the four-point bending test was simulated by the finite element method. Tensile or compressive load was applied to two types of test specimens, and the internal stress of the SiC device was determined. To determine the internal stress during operation and mounting, the simple module model was also simulated by the structural analysis method. The internal stress was simulated from mounting temperature to the operating temperature. An electrical circuit and thermal circuit were constructed for the DC-DC converter in the above-described module for the coupled analysis method. The relationship among mechanical stress, temperature, and electrical resistance was incorporated into the additional resistance of the MOSFET in the electrical circuit. When an isotropic stress from −500 to 1400 MPa was applied with the SiC under the oxide film in the one parallel DC-DC converter, the change in the power conversion efficiency was about 0.16%. This indicates that our proposed method is a useful simulation method for SiC power modules.