Simcenter Micred T3STER hardware

Simcenter Micred T3STER is an advanced non-destructive transient thermal tester for the thermal characterization of packaged semiconductor devices (diodes, BJTs, power MOSFETs, IGBTs, power LEDs) and multi-die devices. It measures the true thermal transient response more efficiently than steady-state methods. Measurements are to ±0.01° C with up to 1-microsecond time resolution. Structure functions post-process the response into a plot that shows the thermal resistance and capacitance of package features along the heat flow path. Simcenter Micred T3STER is an ideal pre- and post-stress failure detection tool. The measurements can be exported for thermal model calibration, underpinning the accuracy of the thermal design effort.

Enable faster results with just one test
Simcenter Micred T3STER is easy to use and fast. It produces fully reproducible results, so each test only needs to be carried out once. Simcenter Micred T3STER tests packaged ICs using only electrical connections for powering and sensing, giving fast, repeatable results and eliminating the need for multiple tests on the same part. Components can be tested in situ and test results can be used as a compact thermal model or to calibrate a detailed model. 

Test all type of packaged semiconductors
Practically all types of packaged semiconductors can be tested, from power diodes and transistors to large and highly complex digital ICs, including parts that are mounted on a board, and even packaged into a product.

Simply put, a power pulse is injected into the component and its temperature response is recorded very accurately against time. The semiconductor itself is used both to power the part and to sense the temperature response using a temperature-sensitive parameter on the die surface such as a transistor or diode structure.

Access reliable software
The software provided with Simcenter Micred T3STER provides a lot of the value of the solution. That’s because the Simcenter Micred T3STER software can take the temperature versus time trace and convert it into what is known as a structure function. Discrete features of the package, such as the die attach can be detected in this plot, making Simcenter Micred T3STER an excellent diagnostic tool in product development. The plot can also be used to calibrate a detailed 3D thermal model in Simcenter Flotherm, creating a thermal model of a chip package that predicts temperature in both space and time with 99+% accuracy.

Thermal testing

The family of thermal characterization hardware solutions provides component and systems suppliers with the ability to accurately and efficiently test, measure, and thermally characterize semiconductor integrated circuit packages, single and arrayed LEDs, stacked and multi-die packages, power electronics modules, thermal interface material (TIM) properties, and complete electronic systems.

Our hardware solutions directly measure the actual heating or cooling curves of packaged semiconductor devices continuously and in real-time, rather than artificially composing this from the results of several individual tests. Measuring the true thermal transient response in this way is far more efficient and accurate, leading to more accurate thermal metrics than steady-state methods. Measurements only need to be performed once per sample, rather than repeated and an average taken as with steady-state methods.

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