Re: Can the PIV of a diode be "safely" exceeded?

From: Terry Given (my_name_at_ieee.org)
Date: 11/25/04 

Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 10:26:57 +1300

Tony Williams wrote:
> In article <41A55D7F.7EB2FD07@hotmail.com>,
> Pooh Bear <rabbitsfriendsandrelations@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>Tony Williams wrote:
>>
>>> The 1981 RCA Power Devices data book does list three
>>> application notes that might be relevant.
>
> [snip]
>
>
>>Thanks for that Tony.
>
>
>>I wonder if modern die bonding has improved such as to reduce the
>>impact of this effect.
>
>
> Some of the TO-3 power transistor data sheets in that old
> RCA book did have charts predicting the count of thermal
> cycles against peak power and the change in case temperature,
> but I do not remember seeing such charts from any other
> manufacturer since.
>

They exist for large power devices. By large I mean kA, kV - die bonding
thermal cycling is a major lifetime limiting factor for high power
IGBTs. Many manufacturers still dont give the data though - but powerex
does (shame about their IGBTs though).

Cheers
Terry

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