Multi-Chip IGBT Module Failure Monitoring Based on Module Transconductance with Temperature Calibration

The Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) is the component with the highest failure rate in power converters, and its reliability is a critical issue in power electronics. IGBT module failure is largely caused by solder layer fatigue or bond wires fall-off. This paper proposes a multi-chip IGBT module failure monitoring method based on the module transconductance, which can accurately monitor IGBT module chip failures and bond wire failures. The paper first introduces the failure mechanism and module structure of the multi-chip IGBT module; then, it proposes a reliability model based on the module transconductance and analyzes the relationship between chip failure, bond wire failure, and the transmission characteristic curve of the IGBT module. Finally, the module transconductance under chip failure and bond wire failure is measured and calculated through simulation, and the temperature is calibrated, which can eliminate the influence of temperature on health monitoring. The results show that the method has a high sensitivity to chip failures and bond wire failures, can realize the failure monitoring of multi-chip IGBT modules, and is of great significance for improving the reliability of power converters.

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An Aging-Degree Evaluation Method for IGBT Bond Wire with Online Multivariate Monitoring

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12203962 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (20) ◽

pp. 3962 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zilang Hu ◽

Xinglai Ge ◽

Dong Xie ◽

Yichi Zhang ◽

Bo Yao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Evaluation Method ◽

Junction Temperature ◽

Normal Operation ◽

Monitoring Method ◽

Bonding Wire ◽

Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor ◽

Igbt Module ◽

Bond Wire ◽

Artificial Neural Network Ann ◽

Multivariate Monitoring

The aging fracture of bonding wire is one of the main reasons for failure of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT). This paper proposes an online monitoring method for IGBT bonding wire aging that does not interfere with the normal operation of the IGBT module. A quantitative analysis of aging degree was first performed, and the results of multivariate and univariate monitoring were compared. Based on the relationship between the monitoring parameters and the aging of the IGBT bonding wire, gradual damage of the IGBT bond wire was implemented to simulate aging failure and obtain the aging data. Moreover, the change of junction temperature was considered to regulate monitoring parameters. Then, the aging degree was evaluated by an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm. The experimental results showed the effectiveness of the proposed method.

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An Anti-Interference Online Monitoring Method for IGBT Bond Wire Aging

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics10121449 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1449

Author(s):

Chuankun Wang ◽

Yigang He ◽

Yunfeng Jiang ◽

Lie Li

Keyword(s):

Online Monitoring ◽

Junction Temperature ◽

Collector Current ◽

Monitoring Method ◽

Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor ◽

Igbt Module ◽

Three Phase ◽

Bond Wires ◽

Bond Wire ◽

Three Phase Inverter

Due to the constant changes of the environment and load, the insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module is subjected to a large amount of junction temperature (Tj) fluctuations, which often leads to damage to the bond wires. The monitoring parameters of IGBTs are often coupled with Tj, which increases the difficulty of monitoring IGBTs’ health status online. In this paper, based on the collector current (Ic) and collector-emitter on-state voltage (Vce_on) online monitoring circuit, an online monitoring method of IGBT bond wire aging against interference is proposed. First, the bond wire aging model is established, and the Vce_on is selected as the monitoring parameter. Secondly, taking a three-phase inverter circuit as an example, the Vce_on and Ic waveforms of the IGBT module are monitored in real time, and the process of online monitoring is introduced accordingly. Finally, the experimental results indicate that the method proposed in this paper can accurately identify the aging state of IGBT bond wires under different conditions.

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A Method to Monitor IGBT Module Bond Wire Failure Using On-State Voltage Separation Strategy

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12091791 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 1791 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Qingyi Kong ◽

Mingxing Du ◽

Ziwei Ouyang ◽

Kexin Wei ◽

William Gerard Hurley

Keyword(s):

Thermal Parameter ◽

Junction Temperature ◽

Collector Current ◽

Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor ◽

Dependent Part ◽

Igbt Modules ◽

Igbt Module ◽

Bond Wires ◽

Bond Wire ◽

Separation Strategy

On-state voltage is an important thermal parameter for insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules. It is employed widely to predict failure in IGBT module bond wires. However, due to restrictions in work environments and measurement methods, it is difficult to ensure the measurement accuracy for the on-state voltage under practical working conditions. To address this problem, an on-state voltage separation strategy is proposed for the IGBT modules with respect to the influence of collector current (Ic) and junction temperature (Tj). This method involves the separation of the on-state voltage into a dependent part and two independent parts during the IGBT module bond wire prediction. Based on the proposed separation strategy, the independent parts in the failure prediction can be removed, making it possible to directly monitor the voltage variations caused by bond wire failure. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed diagnosis strategy can accurately predict the bond wire failure stage in an IGBT module under different conditions.

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Utility of recombinant human TSH stimulation test in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer depending on basal thyroglobulin results

Advances in Laboratory Medicine / Avances en Medicina de Laboratorio ◽

10.1515/almed-2019-0017 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Amaia Sandúa ◽

Monica Macias ◽

Carolina Perdomo ◽

Juan Carlos Galofre ◽

Roser Ferrer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thyroid Cancer ◽

Differentiated Thyroid Cancer ◽

Characteristic Curve ◽

Area Under The Curve ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone ◽

Stimulation Test ◽

Human Thyroid ◽

Antithyroglobulin Antibodies ◽

Structural Disease

AbstractBackgroundThyroglobulin (Tg) is fundamental for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) monitoring. Tg detection can be enhanced using recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (rhTSH). This study is aimed to evaluate the use of the rhTSH stimulation test when using a high-sensitivity Tg assay.MethodsWe retrospectively studied 181 rhTSH tests from 114 patients with DTC and negative for antithyroglobulin antibodies (anti-TgAb). Image studies were performed in all cases. Serum Tg and anti-TgAb were measured using specific immunoassays.ResultsrhTSH stimulation in patients with basal serum Tg (b-Tg) concentrations lower than 0.2 ng/mL always resulted in rhTSH-stimulated serum Tg (s-Tg) concentrations lower than 1.0 ng/mL and negative structural disease. In patients with b-Tg concentration between 0.2 and 1.0 ng/mL, s-Tg detected one patient (1/30) who showed biochemical incomplete response. Patients with negative images had lower s-Tg than those with nonspecific or abnormal findings (p<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the s-Tg to detect altered images showed an area under the curve of 0.763 (p<0.05). With an s-Tg cutoff of 0.85 ng/mL, the sensitivity was 100%, decreasing to 96.15% with an s-Tg cutoff of 2 ng/mL.ConclusionsPatients with DTC with b-Tg concentrations equal or higher than 0.2 ng/mL can benefit from the rhTSH stimulation test.

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Analytical assessment of ortho clinical diagnostics high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I assay

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) ◽

10.1515/cclm-2020-1115 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Peter A. Kavsak ◽

Tara Edge ◽

Chantele Roy ◽

Paul Malinowski ◽

Karen Bamford ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Troponin ◽

Troponin I ◽

Limit Of Detection ◽

Clinical Performance ◽

Characteristic Curve ◽

Area Under The Curve ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Cardiac Troponin I ◽

Clinical Diagnostics ◽

Ortho Clinical Diagnostics

AbstractObjectivesTo analytically evaluate Ortho Clinical Diagnostics VITROS high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) assay in specific matrices with comparison to other hs-cTn assays.MethodsThe limit of detection (LoD), imprecision, interference and stability testing for both serum and lithium heparin (Li-Hep) plasma for the VITROS hs-cTnI assay was determined. We performed Passing-Bablok regression analyses between sample types for the VITROS hs-cTnI assay and compared them to the Abbott ARCHITECT, Beckman Access and the Siemens ADVIA Centaur hs-cTnI assays. We also performed Receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses with the area under the curve (AUC) determined in an emergency department (ED)-study population (n=131) for myocardial infarction (MI).ResultsThe VITROS hs-cTnI LoD was 0.73 ng/L (serum) and 1.4 ng/L (Li-Hep). Stability up to five freeze-thaws was observed for the Ortho hs-cTnI assay, with the analyte stability at room temperature in serum superior to Li-Hep with gross hemolysis also affecting Li-Hep plasma hs-cTnI results. Comparison of Li-Hep to serum concentrations (n=202), yielded proportionally lower concentrations in plasma with the VITROS hs-cTnI assay (slope=0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.83–0.88). In serum, the VITROS hs-cTnI concentrations were proportionally lower compared to other hs-cTnI assays, with similar slopes observed between assays in samples frozen <−70 °C for 17 years (ED-study) or in 2020. In the ED-study, the VITROS hs-cTnI assay had an AUC of 0.974 (95%CI:0.929–0.994) for MI, similar to the AUCs of other hs-cTn assays.ConclusionsLack of standardization of hs-cTnI assays across manufacturers is evident. The VITROS hs-cTnI assay yields lower concentrations compared to other hs-cTnI assays. Important differences exist between Li-Hep plasma and serum, with evidence of stability and excellent clinical performance comparable to other hs-cTn assays.

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Relationship between serum angiopoietin-like 4 levels and recurrence of atrial fibrillation

Journal of International Medical Research ◽

10.1177/0300060520988393 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 030006052098839

Author(s):

Zhongping Ning ◽

Xinming Li ◽

Xi Zhu ◽

Jun Luo ◽

Yingbiao Wu

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Catheter Ablation ◽

Operating Characteristic ◽

Characteristic Curve ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Peroxisome Proliferator ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

New Onset

Objective To investigate the association between serum angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) levels and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after catheter ablation. Methods This retrospective study recruited patients with AF undergoing catheter ablation and they were divided into two groups (new-onset AF group and recurrent AF group). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were collected. Results A total of 192 patients with AF were included, including 69 patients with recurrence of AF. Serum ANGPTL4 levels were lower in patients with recurrent AF than in those with new-onset AF. Serum ANGPTL4 levels were positively correlated with superoxide dismutase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, and negatively correlated with the CHA2DS2-VASC score, left atrial diameter, and levels of brain natriuretic peptide, malondialdehyde, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6. The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the best cut-off for recurrent AF was serum ANGPTL4 levels < 19.735 ng/mL, with a sensitivity and specificity of 63.9% and 74.5%, respectively. Serum ANGPTL4 levels were significantly associated with recurrence and new onset of AF (odds ratio, 2.241; 95% confidence interval, 1.081–4.648). Conclusions Serum ANGPTL4 levels are lower in patients with recurrent AF than in those with new-onset AF, and are associated with cardiac hypertrophy, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

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Role of confirmed and potential predictors of an unfavorable outcome in heart failure in everyday clinical practice

Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -) ◽

10.1007/s11845-020-02477-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Chuda ◽

Maciej Banach ◽

Marek Maciejewski ◽

Agata Bielecka-Dabrowa

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Exercise Testing ◽

Clinical Decision Making ◽

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Unfavorable Outcome ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Monitoring Method ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction

AbstractHeart failure (HF) is the only cardiovascular disease with an ever increasing incidence. HF, through reduced functional capacity, frequent exacerbations of disease, and repeated hospitalizations, results in poorer quality of life, decreased work productivity, and significantly increased costs of the public health system. The main challenge in the treatment of HF is the availability of reliable prognostic models that would allow patients and doctors to develop realistic expectations about the prognosis and to choose the appropriate therapy and monitoring method. At this moment, there is a lack of universal parameters or scales on the basis of which we could easily capture the moment of deterioration of HF patients’ condition. Hence, it is crucial to identify such factors which at the same time will be widely available, cheap, and easy to use. We can find many studies showing different predictors of unfavorable outcome in HF patients: thorough assessment with echocardiography imaging, exercise testing (e.g., 6-min walk test, cardiopulmonary exercise testing), and biomarkers (e.g., N-terminal pro-brain type natriuretic peptide, high-sensitivity troponin T, galectin-3, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). Some of them are very promising, but more research is needed to create a specific panel on the basis of which we will be able to assess HF patients. At this moment despite identification of many markers of adverse outcomes, clinical decision-making in HF is still predominantly based on a few basic parameters, such as the presence of HF symptoms (NYHA class), left ventricular ejection fraction, and QRS complex duration and morphology.

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Adaptation and Validation of the Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination in Dementia in Arabic Speakers in Egypt

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders ◽

10.1159/000513411 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 49 (6) ◽

pp. 611-616

Author(s):

Tarik Qassem ◽

Mohamed S. Khater ◽

Tamer Emara ◽

Doha Rasheedy ◽

Heba M. Tawfik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Screening Tool ◽

Characteristic Curve ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Receiver Operator Characteristic Curve ◽

Cutoff Score ◽

Arabic Speakers ◽

Dementia Patients ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Sensitivity Specificity ◽

Addenbrooke’S Cognitive Examination

Background: The mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (m-ACE) is a brief cognitive battery that assesses 5 subdomains of cognition (attention, memory, verbal fluency, visuospatial abilities, and memory recall). It is scored out of 30 and can be administered in under 5 min providing a quick screening tool for assessment of cognition. Objectives: We aimed to adapt the m-ACE in Arabic speakers in Egypt and to validate it in dementia patients to provide cutoff scores. Methods: We included 37 patients with dementia (Alzheimer’s disease [n = 25], vascular dementia [n = 8], and dementia with Lewy body [n = 4]) and 43 controls. Results: There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) on the total m-ACE score between dementia patients (mean 10.54 and standard deviation [SD] 5.83) and controls (mean 24.02 and SD 2.75). There was also a statistically significant difference between dementia patients and controls on all sub-score domains of the m-ACE (p < 0.05). Performance on the m-ACE significantly correlated with both the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III (ACE-III). Using a receiver operator characteristic curve, the optimal cutoff score for dementia on the m-ACE total score was found to be 18 (92% sensitivity, 95% specificity, and 94% accuracy). Conclusions: We adapted the m-ACE in Arabic speakers in Egypt and provided objective validation of it as a screening tool for dementia, with high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy.

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Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson Dementia Distinguished by Cognitive Marker

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acz082 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Irina Kozlova ◽

Mario A Parra ◽

Nataliya Titova ◽

Maria Gantman ◽

Sergio Della Sala

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Operating Characteristic ◽

Characteristic Curve ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Task Demands ◽

Memory Binding ◽

Parkinson Dementia ◽

Temporary Memory

Abstract Background Temporary memory binding (TMB) has been shown to be specifically affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) when it is assessed via free recall and titrating the task demands to equate baseline performance across patients. Methods Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) were subdivided into patients with and without cognitive impairment and compared with AD and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients on their performance on the TMB. Results The results show that only patients with AD dementia present with impaired TMB performance. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed that TMB holds high sensitivity and specificity for aMCI and AD relative to PD groups and healthy controls. Conclusion The TMB is sensitive to the neurodegenerative mechanisms leading to AD dementia but not to those underpinning PD dementia. As such, TMB task can aid the differential diagnosis of these common forms of dementia.

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The Russian Aphasia Test: The first comprehensive, quantitative, standardized, and computerized aphasia language battery in Russian

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0258946 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (11) ◽

pp. e0258946

Author(s):

Maria V. Ivanova ◽

Yulia S. Akinina ◽

Olga A. Soloukhina ◽

Ekaterina V. Iskra ◽

Olga V. Buivolova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychometric Properties ◽

Characteristic Curve ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Clinical Work ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Assessment Instrument ◽

Auditory Comprehension ◽

Specific Level ◽

Cutoff Values ◽

Wide Range

The lack of standardized language assessment tools in Russian impedes clinical work, evidence-based practice, and research in Russian-speaking clinical populations. To address this gap in assessment of neurogenic language disorders, we developed and standardized a new comprehensive assessment instrument–the Russian Aphasia Test (RAT). The principal novelty of the RAT is that each subtest corresponds to a specific level of linguistic processing (phonological, lexical-semantic, syntactic, and discourse) in different domains: auditory comprehension, repetition, and oral production. In designing the test, we took into consideration various (psycho)linguistic factors known to influence language performance, as well as specific properties of Russian. The current paper describes the development of the RAT and reports its psychometric properties. A tablet-based version of the RAT was administered to 85 patients with different types and severity of aphasia and to 106 age-matched neurologically healthy controls. We established cutoff values for each subtest indicating deficit in a given task and cutoff values for aphasia based on the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis of the composite score. The RAT showed very high sensitivity (> .93) and specificity (> .96), substantiating its validity for determining presence of aphasia. The test’s high construct validity was evidenced by strong correlations between subtests measuring similar linguistic processes. The concurrent validity of the test was also strong as demonstrated by a high correlation with an existing aphasia battery. Overall high internal, inter-rater, and test-retest reliability were obtained. The RAT is the first comprehensive aphasia language battery in Russian with properly established psychometric properties. It is sensitive to a wide range of language deficits in aphasia and can reliably characterize individual profiles of language impairments. Notably, the RAT is the first comprehensive aphasia test in any language to be fully automatized for administration on a tablet, maximizing further standardization of presentation and scoring procedures.

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