Keysight Enables Dynamic Test on a Wide-Bandgap Power Semiconductor Bare Chip

By: Keysight Technologies, Inc. via Business Wire

March 14, 2025 at 11:00 AM EDT

Easily and accurately measure dynamic characteristics on a Wide-Bandgap power semiconductor bare chip without soldering or probe needles
Keysight fixture enables quick, repeated test without damaging the bare chip
Parasitic power-loop inductance less than 10nH, for clean dynamic test waveforms

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) has enhanced its double-pulse test portfolio enabling customers to benefit from accurate and easy measurement of the dynamic characteristics of Wide-Bandgap (WBG) power semiconductor bare chips. The technologies implemented in the measurement fixture minimize parasitics and do not require soldering to the bare chip. The fixtures are compatible with both versions of Keysight’s double pulse testers.

WBG power semiconductor devices are crucial for building highly efficient and robust power electronics for applications such as electric vehicles, alternative energies and data centers. They are used in various forms, such as discrete packaged devices or power modules containing power semiconductor bare chips. Characterizing the bare chip before packaging expedites development. However, measuring the dynamic characteristics of a power semiconductor bare chip by traditional methods requires soldering directly onto the bare chip before tests can be performed. This is not only difficult, but it can introduce parasitics that will introduce errors into the measurements.

The new Keysight bare chip dynamic measurement solution helps power semiconductor device engineers and power electronics engineers perform dynamic characterization as soon as a chip is diced from a wafer. The innovative design of the fixture allows quick accommodation of bare chips and provides sufficient electrical contact while preventing a small and fragile bare chip from arcing or being damaged. The unique fixture structure, which doesn’t use probing, wire bonding, or soldering, minimizes parasitics in the test circuit and produces clean measurement waveforms for fast-operating WBG power semiconductor devices.

Thomas Goetzl, Vice President and General Manager for Keysight Automotive & Energy Solutions, said: “With the introduction of the new WBG semiconductor bare chip evaluation method, we are helping the industry expedite the development of highly efficient and robust power semiconductor discrete devices and power modules. Bare chip dynamic characterization, once regarded as almost impossible to do, is now possible with the extension to our power semiconductor test portfolio.”

Resources

Product page: Keysight PD1500A Dynamic Power Device Analyzer/Double Pulse Tester
Product page: Keysight PD1550A Advanced Dynamic Power Device Analyzer/Double Pulse Tester
Whitepaper: Keysight Dynamic Characterization of a Power Semiconductor Bare Chip

Visit booth #829 at APEC in Atlanta, GA, 16 – 20 March to learn more about Keysight’s bare chip dynamic measurement solution.

About Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we’re delivering market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.