Impact of energy relaxation time on heat generation in silicon with electro-thermal analysis

Abstract

This paper describes heat generation in semiconductor depending on energy relaxation time between electron and lattice. Recently, power semiconductor devices are widely used in several areas, for example car electronics. Heat generation density in electrical devices has been increased with downsizing electrical devices. Then, thermal management of semiconductor devices is becoming key issue for further development of electrical devices. In this paper, estimation of heat generation in silicon under high electric filed was focused. Under high electric field, electron energy (electron temperature) becomes much higher than lattice energy (lattice temperature). Therefore, electro-thermal analysis was employed to consider non-equilibrium state between electron temperature and lattice temperature. Energy relaxation time between electron and lattice was varied as parameter and impact of energy relaxation time on estimated heat generation density was discussed.