New GaN Power-Electronics Packaging Solutions: A Thermal Analysis Using Raman Thermography

• Published in: Journal of microelectronics and electronic packaging Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 110 - 113
• Main Authors: FAQIR, M, MANOI, A, MROTZEK, T, KNIPPSCHEER, S, MASSIOT, M, BUCHTA, M, BLANCK, H, ROCHETTE, S, VENDIER, O, KUBALL, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC International Microelectronics and Packaging Society 01.07.2011
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electronic equipment and fabrication. Passive components, printed wiring boards, connectics; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Imaging devices; Integrated circuits; Power electronics, power supplies; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Ternary compound; Performance evaluation; Binary compound; Thermal management (packaging); thermal modeling; Raman thermography; Gallium nitride; Composite material; Finite element method; Time dependence; High electron mobility transistor; Diamond composites; GaN; Failure analysis; Electronic packaging; thermal management; Growth from solution; Thermography; Thermal behavior; Aluminium nitride; Durability; Diamond; Power electronics; III-V compound; Silver; Time resolution; Thermal analysis; Thermal imaging; Reliability; Comparative study
• ISSN: 1551-4897
• DOI: 10.4071/imaps.297

Raman thermography measurements were performed on AlGaN/GaN multifinger high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) to determine their channel temperature at various power levels. The devices were mounted on both silver diamond composite and CuW baseplates, in order to benchmark the thermal performance of novel diamond composite baseplates compared with traditional materials. We illustrate that AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices mounted on silver diamond composite baseplates show peak temperatures that are 50% lower than the peak temperatures exhibited by devices mounted on traditional CuW baseplates. This is a dramatic improvement in terms of heat extraction as a basis to enable longer device lifetimes and better performance. In addition, time-resolved Raman thermography measurements were carried out to obtain the thermal dynamics of devices on the silver-diamond baseplate and on heat diffusion during pulsed device operation. This time-dependent information is of great importance for reliability and failure analyses, as pulsed operation of a HEMT is a typical device operation condition. Finite-element thermal simulations were performed for comparison with experimental results, and good agreement with the experimental data was obtained.