Characterizing power semiconductors

One big theme in the ECCE conference sessions was the need for better characterization of power devices. It was said in some sessions that spec sheets for SiC devices really don’t contain all the parameters that are important for designing these semiconductors into many power circuits. That would explain why this Keysight Technologies B1506A Power Device Analyzer was getting attention on the show floor. It is said to let designers evaluate all relevant device parameters under a wide range of operating conditions, including IV parameters such as breakdown voltage and on-resistance, as well as three-terminal FET capacitances, gate charge and power loss. It includes a plug-in style device test fixture socket adapter (below) so users needn’t make cable connections. The B1506A also supports the complete automation of thermal characterization.