Springburo, based in Emmendingen in South-West Germany, has developed and patented a technique to make the measurement of such small signals an easy task. By adding "The Clipper" passive prove between the Scope Probe and the DUT (device under test), the high voltage can be blocked, and the low transistor conduction voltage can be viewed in the required resolution.
NEW!! Springburo releases first High Voltage Pulse Generator for Component Testing and Cipper demonstration. More details in our BLOG
The main features of the Clipper are:
Application Videos detailing the Clipper's function and combined with the HVPG can be seen on the download page. |
Applications:
The Clipper can be used in the following areas:
1. Design & Development of Power electronics products
New generation transistors, such as GaN and SiC are improving switching times and current densities of power transistors. The low RdsON now seen is reaching the sub-100milliohm level. This means that switching current can be increased and power dissipation decreased. There is however one important factor here. The Safe Operating Area (SOA) is now becoming more critical to monitor, as the transistors do not have enough heat absorption or removal capacity if things start going wrong. Usually if the SOA is violated, a fast and catastrophic failure will occur as the large switched current, and positive RdsOn temperature coefficient causes a sudden positive feedback effect and destruction of the junction.
The Clipper allows development engineers to monitor dynamically (in high resolution) the switching phase of the DUT, and to prove the design has a stable SOA with good margins. Variation in RdsON can be dynamically viewed and recorded during a range of load and/or environmental testing.
2. Production QC
The observed Vds during switching gives an excellent evaluation of the real thermal situation of the transistor and it's thermal status. For example, if the Transistor to Heatsink thermal interface has a problem (for example mechanical interface is not flat) then the operating point could be hotter than the design can tolerate, leading to eventual reliability problems with the product. Therefore, finished modules can be screened 100% under load to ensure that the required safe operating point has been achieved.
3. New Component and Technology Evaluation
Before products with new technologies are developed, it is sometimes necessary for R&D base companies to pre-qualify these technologies and suppliers. The Clipper is an excellent tool to characterize and capture data in this way. Safe Operating Areas can be defined and specified for engineering groups to follow, as well as standardization for testing procedures.
4. Fault finding, Reliability analysis, Repair
During the product lifecycle, if field faults indicate non-optimal reliability of the product, then the Clipper can be used to investigate exactly what is happening during power switching. For example, if one side of a bridge is getting hotter than the other, the current balance can be looked at across the Transistor (and not simply using a current loop), to see if the transistors are not operating symmetrically (for example a gate drive problem). This can lead to a repair...or eventually to a design improvement being made.
The Clipper can be used in the following areas:
1. Design & Development of Power electronics products
New generation transistors, such as GaN and SiC are improving switching times and current densities of power transistors. The low RdsON now seen is reaching the sub-100milliohm level. This means that switching current can be increased and power dissipation decreased. There is however one important factor here. The Safe Operating Area (SOA) is now becoming more critical to monitor, as the transistors do not have enough heat absorption or removal capacity if things start going wrong. Usually if the SOA is violated, a fast and catastrophic failure will occur as the large switched current, and positive RdsOn temperature coefficient causes a sudden positive feedback effect and destruction of the junction.
The Clipper allows development engineers to monitor dynamically (in high resolution) the switching phase of the DUT, and to prove the design has a stable SOA with good margins. Variation in RdsON can be dynamically viewed and recorded during a range of load and/or environmental testing.
2. Production QC
The observed Vds during switching gives an excellent evaluation of the real thermal situation of the transistor and it's thermal status. For example, if the Transistor to Heatsink thermal interface has a problem (for example mechanical interface is not flat) then the operating point could be hotter than the design can tolerate, leading to eventual reliability problems with the product. Therefore, finished modules can be screened 100% under load to ensure that the required safe operating point has been achieved.
3. New Component and Technology Evaluation
Before products with new technologies are developed, it is sometimes necessary for R&D base companies to pre-qualify these technologies and suppliers. The Clipper is an excellent tool to characterize and capture data in this way. Safe Operating Areas can be defined and specified for engineering groups to follow, as well as standardization for testing procedures.
4. Fault finding, Reliability analysis, Repair
During the product lifecycle, if field faults indicate non-optimal reliability of the product, then the Clipper can be used to investigate exactly what is happening during power switching. For example, if one side of a bridge is getting hotter than the other, the current balance can be looked at across the Transistor (and not simply using a current loop), to see if the transistors are not operating symmetrically (for example a gate drive problem). This can lead to a repair...or eventually to a design improvement being made.