Junction Temperature Extraction for Silicon Carbide Power Devices: A Comprehensive Review

The complete replacement of silicon devices with silicon carbide (SiC) devices still faces many reliability challenges considering higher cost, higher junction temperature, and its wider variations. Hence, the junction temperature extraction for SiC devices becomes particularly significant recently. Furthermore, considering the latest emerging junction temperature extraction methods for SiC devices, it is critical to conduct a comprehensive review of these methods, including a scientific classification and systematical evaluation of these methods. This article is just to fill in this gap. First, a classification of these junction temperature methods for SiC devices will be conducted, including physical contact methods, optical methods, resistance–capacitance thermal network methods, and temperature-sensitive electrical parameter (TSEP) methods. Then, a comprehensive comparison of four-category methods for SiC devices have been conducted from different perspectives, such as the measurement accuracy, applicability, cost, online implementation, and power integration development. Moreover, considering the advantage of TSEP methods, this article has particulary compared and analyzed many newly proposed TSEP methods in recent years, which have been further divided into two subcategories based on their dependence on the load current. Their properties have also been evaluated for the first time in terms of the linearity, sensitivity, and other key features. This article analyzes many unresolved issues in the junction temperature extraction for SiC devices, among them, it is particularly worth emphasizing that innovative TSEP methods that consider the aging of SiC devices are still strongly demanding.