In the electric vehicle power semiconductor market, demand for wide bandgap (WBG) devices is rapidly expanding, and the testing method is also shifting from the existing static method to a dynamic method that reflects the actual operating environment.

National Instruments (NI) recently announced that it has commercialized the world’s first dynamic HTFB (High Temperature Forward Bias) test system that can more precisely analyze the degradation and lifetime characteristics of SiC and GaN-based power semiconductors.

NI's commercialized dynamic H3TRB/DRB test system.
High temperature, high humidity, high voltage environment simulation equipment for predicting the lifespan of actual SiC, GaN components

NI's Sung-Woong Yong, Director, said in an interview with our newspaper, "Since the driving environment of electric vehicles is very dynamic, the components must also be tested in a variable voltage environment close to actual driving conditions, not a fixed voltage." He added, "In particular, SiC&mid that enables high-speed switchingdot;GaN devices are difficult to accurately predict their lifetime using static testing methods,” he said.

He continued, “A true reliability test is one that replicates situations where voltage changes, such as when an electric vehicle accelerates and decelerates.” He added, “While conventional methods required thousands of hours to obtain meaningful data, the key to dynamic testing is that it can observe signs of component deterioration in a much shorter period of time.”

Although the dynamic HTFB test proposed by NI is not yet specified in international standards (AQG-324, JEDEC JC70), it is noteworthy that NI's technical staff is directly participating in the working group for establishing the standard and influencing its direction.

“I often get asked, ‘Why did you create a test that didn’t even have a standard?’ However, NI has a long history of designing new equipment to meet customer needs. I think our role is to move forward by reflecting the actual usage environment before the test standard is established.” (Director Sung Woong-yong)

Especially in the EV industry, product launch cycles are getting shorter while reliability verification is becoming more challenging, making the establishment of a rapid test environment an essential task. The strength of the dynamic test method is that it can quickly identify changes in deterioration characteristics and failure mechanisms that may occur in an actual usage environment in a shorter period of time than conventional methods.

NI has strengthened its high-power semiconductor test technology through the acquisition of SH of Germany and is currently supplying dynamic test solutions to global automakers and parts manufacturers.

Director Sung also foresaw the potential for expansion in the areas of test automation and analysis. He said, “Test analysis technologies based on AI or digital twins may also be fully introduced in the future,” adding, “However, securing high-quality data must be a prerequisite for advanced analysis.”

This technology is characterized by having test conditions suitable for high-power designs such as powertrains, onboard chargers (OBCs), and inverter modules for electric vehicles, and major global automobile manufacturers are currently reviewing its application as a reliability evaluation standard.

As the electric vehicle industry is rapidly transitioning to WBG-based semiconductors for high-efficiency and high-density design, the transition of the test paradigm is also emerging as a key variable in the market. NI is expected to contribute to accelerating the commercialization of the WBG-based power semiconductor market by presenting a practical standard for reliability assurance through this dynamic HTFB system.