Failure quantitative assessment approach to MOSFET power device by detecting parasitic parameters

With the emerging wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor development, the increasing power density and efficiency of power electronic converters may cause more switching oscillation, electromagnetic interference noise, and additional power loss, further increasing the probability of device failure. Therefore, determining and quantifying the failure of a metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect transistor (MOSFET), which assembled using WBG semiconductor in some applications, is crucial to improving the reliability of a power converter. This study proposes a novel failure quantitative assessment approach based on MOSFET parasitic parameters. According to the two-port network theory, MOSFET is equivalent to some second-order RLC circuits composed of independent inductances, capacitances, and resistances in series. Then, the frequency-domain impedance associated with the physical failure of MOSFET is identified through frequency domain reflectometry. Accelerated aging and bond wires cut-off experiments are employed to obtain various quality states of the MOSFET device. Result shows that the MOSFET quality level and its number of bond wire lift-offs can be quantified effectively. Drain-to-source on-resistance (RDS(on)) that normally represents the MOSFET quality shows a positive linear function relationship on drain-to-source parasitic resistance (RD + RS) during the quality degradation proceeding. This finding matches with the correlation established between RDS (on) and RD + RS in theory. Meanwhile, source parasitic inductance (LS) increases with the severity of bond wires faults, and even the slight fault shows a high sensitivity. The proposed approach would be an effective quality screening technology for power semiconductor devices without power on treatment, which can effectively avoid the impact of junction temperature and test conditions (current and voltage) on test results, and does not need to design additional test circuits. The test frequency range we used in this approach was 10–300 MHz, which to some extent is suitable for providing an on-line quality monitoring technology for high-frequency WBG power devices manufacturing.Electronic Components, Technology and Material

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Sintering Densification of Multi-Scale Silver Layer

Based on molecular dynamics (MD), in this study, a model was established to simulate the initial coating morphology of silver paste by using a random algorithm, and the effects of different sizes of particles on sintering porosity were also analyzed. The MD result reveals that compared with the sintering process using large-scale silver particles, the sintering process using multi-scale silver particles would enhance the densification under the same sintering conditions, which authenticates the feasibility of adding small silver particles to large-scale silver particles in theory. In addition, to further verify the feasibility of the multi-scale sintering, a semi in-situ observation was prepared for a sintering experiment using micro-nano multi-scale silver paste. The feasibility of multi-scale silver sintering is proved by theoretical and experimental means, which can provide a meaningful reference for optimizing the sintering process and the preparation of silver paste for die-attach in powering electronics industry. In addition, it is hoped that better progress can be made on this basis in the future.Electronic Components, Technology and Material

Integrated isotope-assisted metabolomics and ¹³C metabolic flux analysis reveals metabolic flux redistribution for high glucoamylase production by Aspergillus niger

Background: Aspergillus niger is widely used for enzyme production and achievement of high enzyme production depends on the comprehensive understanding of cell's metabolic regulation mechanisms. Results: In this paper, we investigate the metabolic differences and regulation mechanisms between a high glucoamylase-producing strain A. niger DS03043 and its wild-type parent strain A. niger CBS513.88 via an integrated isotope-assisted metabolomics and 13C metabolic flux analysis approach. We found that A. niger DS03043 had higher cell growth, glucose uptake, and glucoamylase production rates but lower oxalic acid and citric acid secretion rates. In response to above phenotype changes, A. niger DS03043 was characterized by an increased carbon flux directed to the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway in contrast to reduced flux through TCA cycle, which were confirmed by consistent changes in pool sizes of metabolites. A higher ratio of ATP over AMP in the high producing strain might contribute to the increase in the PP pathway flux as glucosephosphate isomerase was inhibited at higher ATP concentrations. A. niger CBS513.88, however, was in a higher redox state due to the imbalance of NADH regeneration and consumption, resulting in the secretion of oxalic acid and citric acid, as well as the accumulation of intracellular OAA and PEP, which may in turn result in the decrease in the glucose uptake rate. Conclusions: The application of integrated metabolomics and 13C metabolic flux analysis highlights the regulation mechanisms of energy and redox metabolism on flux redistribution in A. niger. Graphical abstract An integrated isotope-assisted metabolomics and 13C metabolic flux analysis was was firstly systematically performed in A. niger. In response to enzyme production, the metabolic flux in A. niger DS03043 (high-producing) was redistributed, characterized by an increased carbon flux directed to the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway as well as an increased pool size of pentose. The consistency in 13C metabolic flux analysis and metabolites quantification indicated that an imbalance of NADH formation and consumption led to the accumulation and secretion of organic acids in A. niger CBS513.88 (wild-type)OLD BT/Cell Systems EngineeringBT/Bioprocess Engineerin

Multi-omics integrative analysis with genome-scale metabolic model simulation reveals global cellular adaptation of Aspergillus niger under industrial enzyme production condition

Oxygen limitation is regarded as a useful strategy to improve enzyme production by mycelial fungus like Aspergillus niger. However, the intracellular metabolic response of A. niger to oxygen limitation is still obscure. To address this, the metabolism of A. niger was studied using multi-omics integrated analysis based on the latest GEMs (genome-scale metabolic model), including metabolomics, fluxomics and transcriptomics. Upon sharp reduction of the oxygen supply, A. niger metabolism shifted to higher redox level status, as well as lower energy supply, down-regulation of genes for fatty acid synthesis and a rapid decrease of the specific growth rate. The gene expression of the glyoxylate bypass was activated, which was consistent with flux analysis using the A. niger GEMs iHL1210. The increasing flux of the glyoxylate bypass was assumed to reduce the NADH formation from TCA cycle and benefit maintenance of the cellular redox balance under hypoxic conditions. In addition, the relative fluxes of the EMP pathway were increased, which possibly relieved the energy demand for cell metabolism. The above multi-omics integrative analysis provided new insights on metabolic regulatory mechanisms of A. niger associated with enzyme production under oxygen-limited condition, which will benefit systematic design and optimization of the A. niger microbial cell factory.BT/Bioprocess Engineerin

Comparative performance of different scale-down simulators of substrate gradients in Penicillium chrysogenum cultures: the need of a biological systems response analysis

In a 54 m3 large-scale penicillin fermentor, the cells experience substrate gradient cycles at the timescales of global mixing time about 20–40 s. Here, we used an intermittent feeding regime (IFR) and a two-compartment reactor (TCR) to mimic these substrate gradients at laboratory-scale continuous cultures. The IFR was applied to simulate substrate dynamics experienced by the cells at full scale at timescales of tens of seconds to minutes (30 s, 3 min and 6 min), while the TCR was designed to simulate substrate gradients at an applied mean residence time ((Formula presented.)) of 6 min. A biological systems analysis of the response of an industrial high-yielding P. chrysogenum strain has been performed in these continuous cultures. Compared to an undisturbed continuous feeding regime in a single reactor, the penicillin productivity (qPenG) was reduced in all scale-down simulators. The dynamic metabolomics data indicated that in the IFRs, the cells accumulated high levels of the central metabolites during the feast phase to actively cope with external substrate deprivation during the famine phase. In contrast, in the TCR system, the storage pool (e.g. mannitol and arabitol) constituted a large contribution of carbon supply in the non-feed compartment. Further, transcript analysis revealed that all scale-down simulators gave different expression levels of the glucose/hexose transporter genes and the penicillin gene clusters. The results showed that qPenG did not correlate well with exposure to the substrate regimes (excess, limitation and starvation), but there was a clear inverse relation between qPenG and the intracellular glucose level.ChemE/Transport PhenomenaOLD BT/Cell Systems EngineeringBT/Bioprocess Engineerin