Modeling and simulation of power electronic modules with microchannel coolers for thermo-mechanical performance

• Published in: Microelectronics and reliability 2014-12, Vol.54 (12), p.2824-2835
• Main Authors: Xu, Ling, Liu, Yong, Liu, Sheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Active liquid cooling; Applied sciences; Computer simulation; Copper; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electronic equipment and fabrication. Passive components, printed wiring boards, connectics; Electronic modules; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; FEA; Finite element method; IGBT; Integrated circuits; Mathematical models; Microchannel; Modules; Optimization design; Other multijunction devices. Power transistors. Thyristors; Power electronics, power supplies; Residual stress; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Solders
• ISSN: 0026-2714; 1872-941X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.microrel.2014.07.053

•Copper microchannel baseplate is an efficient solution for high power density module.•Residual stress caused by CTE mismatch during reflow would bend the module convex.•Operating stress would cause the module concave and offset the former deformation.•Yielding behavior of soft solder would help to reduce stress of silicon chips.•Optimization design by adjusting layer thicknesses is raised. This paper investigated the thermo-mechanical performance of microchannel-based technology to actively cool high power electronic modules, of which the power loss of the module has reached as high as 550watts. Finite element analysis (FEA) method was used to model and simulate the performance of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules. Thermal and mechanical performances of power electronic modules with and without microchannel were analyzed and compared. Residual stress caused by reflow soldering process and operating stress considering the residual stress in previous process were studied for the first time, in which plastic behavior of soft solder and copper were taken into account. Anand viscoplasticity constitutive model was used to describe the soft solder behavior in the assembly process. The Chaboche nonlinear kinematic hardening model for the copper was considered as well. Three dimensional temperature and stress distributions were presented, based on the optimization design by adjusting the thickness of each layer to reduce the operating stress and therefore extend the lifetime of the module.