Start of funding 01.01.2015

Analysis of ideal short-on failed semiconductors for fault-tolerant power electronics

Prof. Dr. Mark Bakran
University of Bayreuth
Lehrstuhl für Mechatronik

Jack Marcinkowski
International Rectifier
El Segundo Design Center



Fault-tolerant power electronic systems enable on ongoing operation after device failure, which is relevant for high availability and safety critical applications like automotive, aerospace or power distribution. On component level in power electronics this can be achieved by additional serial components in multilevel design. But fault-tolerant multilevel structures enable only an ongoing operation with ideal short-on failed semiconductor devices because there is still current flow through the failed component necessary. Ideal short-on means that the resistance after failure is less or equal the normal rated on-resistance and that nominal current can be still conducted for a sufficient period of time. A new generation of International Rectifier IGBT packages is a promising candidate for these requirements, which is analysed in this project in different power electronic converters and application profiles.

Final report:
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