Introduction
Keysight Technologies, Inc. U5855A TrueIR Thermal Imager is an ergonomically designed, easy-to-use
handheld infrared thermal imager. As well as being inexpensive, the U5855A delivers 320 x 240 pixels
high resolution through ne resolution capability. The U5855A is capable of focusing on objects as
close as 10 cm away, demonstrating outstanding performance in thermal characterization of small
components as well as predictive maintenance on electrical systems.
Keysight B1506A Power Device Analyzer is superior in evaluating parameters of all power devices
including insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). The B1506A has a wide range of capabilities that
help it identify substandard devices under real operating conditions, including a wide voltage and
current operating range (3 kV and 1500 A), a wide thermal test capability (-50 to +250 °C), advanced
Source Monitor Unit (SMU) technology and sub-nA level current measurements capability.
The power semiconductor market has been experiencing rapid growth in recent years in the elds of
power electric equipment, industrial equipment, automobiles and home appliances. Impervious to high
voltage, high current and high power consumption, power devices are required to be highly reliable
and to operate under harsh environmental conditions. The B1506A allows easy characterization of
temperature dependency which can cause a device failure.
This application note describes a measurement method using the U5855A to evaluate temperature
characterization of commercially available discrete power MOSFETs and IGBT modules, in tandem
with electrical characterization with the B1506A.