Infrared Imaging of Power Electronic Components 

by Dimeji Ibitayo 

ARL-TR-3690 December 2005 

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Army Research Laboratory 

Adelphi, MD 20783-1145 

ARL-TR-3690 December 2005 

Infrared Imaging of Power Electronic Components 

Dimeji Ibitayo

Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate, ARL 

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited.
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December 2005 

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4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 

Infrared Imaging of Power Electronic Components 

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6. AUTHOR(S) 

Dimeji Ibitayo

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7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 

U.S. Army Research Laboratory 

Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate, ARL 

(ATTN: AMSRD-ARL-SE-DP) dibitayo@arl.army.mil

Adelphi, MD 20783-1145

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13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 

14. ABSTRACT 

It is often advantageous to perform in-situ temperature measurements on operating devices to ensure that they do not 

exceed their maximum allowable junction temperature. A number of techniques are available to perform such 

measurements. This report focuses on the use of an infrared imaging technique to perform non-contact thermal 

characterization on one or more devices under test. 

15. SUBJECT TERMS Infrared imaging, emissivity, power electronics, thermal characterization

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19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON

Dimeji Ibitayo

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(301) 394-5514

Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8/98) 

ii 
Contents 

1. Introduction 1 

2. Fundamentals of Infrared 1 

3. Infrared Camera 2 

4. Thermal Characterization 3 

5. Calibration Methodologies 6 

6. De-Encapsulation Capabilities 8 

7.Summary 9 

Distribution list 10 

Figures 

Figure 1. Photograph of the FLIR ThermaCAM® SC 500. ...........................................................................2 

Figure 2. ThermaCAM® Researcher user interface displaying the thermal image of 

an operating device and Settings toolbar. ...............................................................................................3 

Figure 3. SiC half-bridge inverter board. .....................................................................................................4 

Figure 4. Infrared image of SiC half-bridge inverter board under test.........................................................4 

Figure 5. Infrared image of board prior to failure. ........................................................................................5 

Figure 6. Thermal image of a 2x2-mm BJT using an 18 μm lens.................................................................5 

Figure 7. High temperature black spray paint (left) and spray on boron nitride (right). ...............................6 

Figure 8. High voltage SiC diode module. ...................................................................................................7 

Figure 9. Infrared image of module under test and uncoated.......................................................................7 

Figure 10. Infrared image of module under test and coated with BN spray.................................................8 

Figure 11. Encapsulated (left) and de-encapsulated (right) Si MOSFET package.......................................8 

Figure 12. Different views of a custom Powerex IGBT module with integrated heatsink...........................9

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1. Introduction 

Thermal management of electronic devices and packaging is important when dealing 

with high-voltage high-power systems as excessive device heating can have a 

catastrophic affect on the performance of a system and can lead to premature device and 

system failure. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately assess and characterize the 

thermal performance of power electronic components. The U.S. Army Research 

Laboratory has been working to develop methods for making accurate temperature 

measurements for components operating in high voltage, high power and related 

applications. Several techniques are available for performing thermal characterization on 

power electronic components. Three common techniques include the use of temperature 

sensitive parameters, temperature sensors, and thermal imaging. Thermal imaging using 

an infrared camera provides a single measurement technique that would be broadly 

applicable to a variety of high power systems. 

2. Fundamentals of Infrared 

The use of thermal imaging equipment (infrared cameras) allows us to see beyond the 

visible into the invisible infrared. Our eyes are capable of detecting visible radiation but 

not infrared radiation. Infrared radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation as are: 

visible light, radio waves, ultraviolet, and X-rays. Infrared radiation is longer in 

wavelength than visible light and is classified in a different waveband. Although few 

objects emit in the visible waveband, in the infrared waveband all objects emit. It is only 

that it cannot be seen with the physical eye. An infrared camera, therefore, becomes the 

“infrared eyes” into the infrared world. Infrared radiation is absorbed and emitted by 

objects. Absorptivity is the measure of how well an object or material absorbs radiation. 

Emissivity is the factor that correlates to the ability of an object to radiate infrared 

energy. In the way that visible light reflects off a mirror, infrared radiation reflects off 

many objects. For example, infrared radiation reflects clearly off metals such as 

aluminum. The fact that metals are good reflectors makes them poor emitters. 

Metals reflect most of the infrared radiation of the environment and therefore in infrared 

they look and measure close to the environment temperature. The opposite is true for 

poor reflectors or good emitters. A good emitter, such as black tape, looks and measures 

close to its true temperature in infrared. Also, similar to how visible light transmits 

through glass, infrared radiation is able to transmit through some materials. Such 

materials can be used to protect an infrared camera lens from potential hazard while 

thermal imaging is being performed. However, it is necessary to account for the fact that 

1
the camera is seeing through the transmissive material to the object being measured. One 

example of a transmissive material is germanium. Germanium is opaque to visible light, 

but is a good infrared transmitter. 

3. Infrared Camera 

A system being used at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is the FLIR ThermaCAM®

SC 500 (shown in fig. 1). The ThermaCAM® SC 500 system utilizes 3rd generation 

uncooled microbolometer long wave detectors to sense IR radiation. It features real time 

14-bit digital output, a 320 x 240 pixel detector, precision temperature measurement, 

internal data storage, and outstanding thermal sensitivity. Coupled with ThermaCAM®

Researcher RT (shown in fig. 2), the SC 500 provides 5 Hz digital image acquisition for 

temperature measurement and statistical analysis. Sequences of images can be stored for 

later playback or converted to AVI files. For 60/50 Hz real-time digital recording and 

analysis of data and dynamic events, the SC 500 is also compatible with FLIR’s PCbased ThermaCAM® Researcher HS Analysis System. The SC 500 provides a powerful, 

affordable solution for scientific thermal testing and general purpose non-contact 

temperature measurement. 

Figure 1. Photograph of the FLIR ThermaCAM® SC 500. 

2
 

 

Figure 2. ThermaCAM® Researcher user interface displaying the thermal image of an operating device and 

Settings toolbar. 

4. Thermal Characterization 

Thermal analysis was performed on the 10 kW half-bridge inverter board pictured in 

figure 3. The board consists of eight 2x2-mm SiC bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and 

two 4-mm SiC junction barrier shottky (JBS) diodes packaged on metal pads on an AlN 

substrate. Thermal characterization was performed using the combination of a 

temperature sensor (direct-mount thermistor) and the infrared camera. This analysis was 

conducted in order to gain an understanding into the thermal performance of the device 

and package technology prior to running them in an actual system. The analysis was 

performed on a single phase of a 10 kW AC-DC half-bridge inverter board. The four 

BJTs on each side were packaged for parallel operation. 

3
Figure 3. SiC half-bridge inverter board. 

Figure 4 is an infrared camera image of the board in figure 3 under test. The SiC bipolar 

junction transistors are switched in parallel. It can be seen from the image that current is 

not being shared evenly among all devices. In particular, the circled device of the right 

side set of devices is running much other than the others. It can be seen that this device is 

carrying the greatest amount of the load. Thermography plays a crucial role here in the 

study of how well current is being distributed among all the devices. 

26.7°C

75.4°C

30

40

50

60

70

Figure 4. Infrared image of SiC half-bridge inverter board under test. 

A better focus could have been achieved for the image pictured in figure 5. A poor focus 

can have a significant impact on the accuracy of temperature measurements. However, 

for this test the important factor was relative temperatures among devices and not exact 

temperatures. This image was the 7th image taken in a sequence (recording) of images at 

2 s intervals as the voltage was ramped up quickly. This was also the last image taken 

before a failure occurred on the board. This image also depicts the matter of temperature 

4
range settings. The highest temperature on the board before failure occurred suddenly 

exceeded the upper temperature limit of the selected range which introduced error into 

the temperature measurements. The symbol “>” denotes that measurements were made 

out of range. Post-failure characterization of the devices using a curve tracer revealed 

that the circled device experienced a failure. 

27.1°C

>274.5°C

Figure 5. Infrared image of board prior to failure. 

The FLIR camera system was purchased with an 18 μm (spot size) lens which allows for 

a close look at individual devices. Shown in figure 6 is one of the 2x2-mm SiC BJTs 

operating near 180°C. 

43.5°C

179.6°C

60

80

100

120

140

160

Figure 6. Thermal image of a 2x2-mm BJT using an 18 μm lens. 

5
5. Calibration Methodologies 

Surface emissivity is the most crucial parameter in infrared imaging. As defined 

previously, emissivity is a factor that correlates to the ability of an object to radiate 

infrared energy. Emissivity depends on several factors. In order of decreasing 

importance: type of material, surface material finish (polished or oxidized), and surface 

geometry. Low emissivity surfaces can be coated with high emissivity material to 

increase the ability to radiate. This also serves to equalize surface emissivity when 

multiple surface types are being measured. High temperature black spray paint and 

spray-on boron nitride have been investigated at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) 

for calibration purposes to improve the accuracy of the infrared camera for temperature 

measurements. The two substances, pictured in figure 7, do not affect device operation. 

Boron nitride also has the advantage of being easily removed. 

Figure 7. High temperature black spray paint (left) and 

spray on boron nitride (right). 

The high voltage SiC diode module shown in figure 8 was used to evaluate the 

performance of high emissivity spray coatings. The module contains multiple surface 

types, including metal (wire bonds, kovar tabs, and device surface metallization), the AlN 

substrate, and the oxide at the outer edge of the SiC diodes. Emissivity for a given 

material ranges from 0 to 1. Metals (uncorroded and nonoxidized) have emissivities of 

~0.1. Non-metals have emissivities close to 0.9, and the emissivity of ceramics ranges 

from 0.7 – 0.9. 

6
Figure 8. High voltage SiC diode module. 

Figure 9 illustrates the problem of performing infrared imaging on surfaces with 

unequalized emissivities. The figure shows an infrared image of the SiC diode module 

without the use of a surface coating. The emissivity was set to approximately 0.8 when 

this image was captured. The inaccuracy in temperature measurements is evidenced most 

in the case of metal surfaces due to low emissivities. In figure 9, “hot” metal surfaces 

appear “cold”. 

Figure 9. Infrared image of module under test and 

uncoated. 

Figure 10 illustrates the benefit of coating the surface being measured with high 

emissivity material prior to infrared imaging. Several coats of spray-on boron nitride was 

applied to the module in figure 8. The result is an equalized, high surface emissivity 

which reveals the true temperature map of the module with the upper diode operating at 

near 100°C. 

7
Figure 10. Infrared image of module under test and 

coated with BN spray. 

6. De-Encapsulation Capabilities 

Separate de-encapsulation techniques have been implemented at ARL allowing the 

analysis of commercial devices and packaging. The first technique involves the use of 

fuming nitric acid to remove plastic encapsulation of packaged devices. Figure 11 shows 

a Si MOSFET package which was de-encapsulated with the use of fuming nitric acid. 

Figure 11. Encapsulated (left) and 

de-encapsulated (right) Si MOSFET 

package. 

A second technique involves the use of heated Dynasolve 711 to completely remove 

silicone gel. This process was used to completely remove silicone gel inside a Powerex 

custom IGBT module with integrated heatsink prior to testing and infrared imaging. 

The module is shown in figure 12. 

8
Figure 12. Different views of a custom 

Powerex IGBT module with integrated 

heatsink. 

7. Summary 

In summary, infrared imaging methodologies have been developed to perform accurate 

temperature measurements of power electronic components. In addition, deencapsulation techniques have also been implemented to allow the analysis of 

commercial packages. This work is allowing the use of COTS devices in higher 

temperature environments. These COTS devices, when proven to operate at higher 

temperatures, will reduce size, weight, and cost of current Army systems. 

9
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10