Temperature measurement of power semiconductor components

This article discusses ways of accessing the temperature of power components. The notion of power component is used here to distinguish them from electronic components such as microprocessors and other circuits dedicated to information management and storage. Although some of the principles outlined here could be applied to electronic components, their use is quite different from that of power components, which optimize the transfer of electrical energy at voltage levels of up to several thousand volts. Another distinguishing feature of power components is the level of dissipated losses, which can run into the kilowatt range for a 3300 V-1200 A silicon IGBT component, combined with a power density of the order of a hundred watts per square centimetre on the scale of the active parts. Furthermore, the maximum operating temperatures defined by manufacturers can reach levels in excess of 175°C...