A Review on Junction Temperature and ON-state Voltage Condition Monitoring of Power Semiconductor Devices

In power electronics applications, the selection of condition monitoring methods significantly affects both the precision and complexity of the junction temperature evaluation, which is essential for the reliability assessment of power semiconductor devices. This study begins with a failure mechanism analysis of state-of-the-art power semiconductor devices. Junction temperature measurement methods can be categorized into three distinct approaches: thermal image-based, thermal model-based, and temperature-sensitive electrical parameter (TSEP)-based methods. Their respective advantages and disadvantages are comprehensively compared. Moreover, condition monitoring of the ON-state voltage drop is summarized and benchmarked. ON-state voltage and junction temperature measurements are experimentally demonstrated in a standard three-phase converter, which provides superior measurement accuracy and rapid dynamic response characteristics. Additionally, this investigation is extended to measurement methods for TSEP in wide-bandgap semiconductors.