Real-Time MOSFET Condition Monitoring for Variable Mission Profiles With a Dual Extended Kalman Filter

Abstract

The article proposes a methodology to detect real-time power mosfet degradation, in variable mission profile applications, using externally measurable electrical parameters. This complements the work done for fixed operation conditions in current literature. To achieve this, the damage and temperature sensitive drain to source resistance is accompanied with a gate resistance measurement only sensitive to temperature. Together, they allow for the detection of, and the distinction between, bond wire and die attach solder layer degradation. A dual extended Kalman filter is used to filter the measurement data and to estimate the change in thermal model. The article shows the measurement circuits together with proof of concept lab results in a solar photovoltaic use case. The main aim is to show that the resistance measurement can be compensated for mission profile temperature variations and that the thermal resistance can be estimated, reflecting bond wire and die attach solder layer degradation.