Power Transistor Stability and Reliability

Abstract

A theoretical model has been developed for the prediction of forward second breakdown due to lateral thermal instability in power transistors operating at low frequency. The method of analysis is to derive the steady-state current density and temperature distribution of a given transistor design under specified operating conditions and then calculate the response of the device to an internally applied temperature impulse. The current flow calculations were carried out using a distributed transistor model and a finite difference approach is used for the time-dependent heat flow problem. The effect of device design parameters such as chip thickness, base width, emitter width, base impurity concentration, etc., on the thermal stability was calculated. Also the effect on transistor stability of the current and voltage operating point, as well as heat sink temperature was analyzed.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0751852

Entities

People

  • David H. Navon

Organizations

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Current Density
  • Electronics
  • Engineering
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Films
  • Frequency
  • Heat Sinks
  • Heat Transmission
  • Isotherms
  • Liquid Crystals
  • Power Levels
  • Semiconductors
  • Steady State
  • Thermal Instability
  • Thermal Stability
  • Thin Films
  • Transistors

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Semiconductor Device Technology
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.