Semiconductor device and method of producing the same, and power conversion apparatus incorporating this semiconductor device

Abstract

The temperature of a bipolar semiconductor element using a wide-gap semiconductor is raised using heating means, such as a heater, to obtain a power semiconductor device being large in controllable current and low in loss. The temperature is set at a temperature higher than the temperature at which the decrement of the steady loss of the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element corresponding to the decrement of the built-in voltage lowering depending on the temperature rising of the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element is larger than the increment of the steady loss corresponding to the increment of the ON resistance increasing depending on the temperature rising.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . An operation method for a semiconductor device the semiconductor device comprising:
 a wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element using a wide-gap semiconductor having stacking faults including basal plane dislocation, and having a built-in voltage in the forward direction;   a semiconductor package accommodating said wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element and having electrical connection means for connecting said wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element to external apparatuses; and   means for heating said wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element inside said semiconductor package at a temperature of 125° C. or more; wherein the operation method comprising steps of:   heating said wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element at a first temperature of 125° C. or more and less that 200° C. before energization of the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element;   after a start of the energization, operating the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element with an applied current smaller than a rated current till the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element reaches a second temperature of 200° C. or more; and   after the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element has reached the second temperature, allowing the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element to be applied with a current up to the rated current.   
     
     
         18 . An operation method for a semiconductor device according to  claim 17 , wherein
 after the start of the energization, the temperature of the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element is raised by the means for heating in addition to self-heating of the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element.   
     
     
         19 . An operation method for a wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element using a wide-gap semiconductor having stacking faults including basal plane dislocation, and having a built-in voltage in the forward direction, comprising steps of:
 at a start of the energization, operating the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element with an applied current smaller than a rated current till the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element reaches a temperature of 200° C. or more; and   after the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element has reached said temperature of 200° C. or more, allowing the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element to be applied with a current up to the rated current.   
     
     
         20 . An operation method for a semiconductor device according to  claim 19 , wherein
 at the start of the energization, till the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element reaches said temperature of 200° C. or more, the temperature of the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor is raised gradually.   
     
     
         21 . An operation method for a semiconductor device according to  claim 20 , wherein
 at the start of the energization, till the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element reaches said temperature of 200° C. or more, the applied current is raised gradually for the temperature of the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor to be raised gradually.   
     
     
         22 . An operation method for a wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element using a wide-gap semiconductor having stacking faults including basal plane dislocation, and having a built-in voltage in the forward direction, comprising steps of:
 at the start of the energization, operating the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element with an applied current smaller than a rated current, waiting for an increase of ON voltage to be stopped as a degradation owing to the stacking faults is saturated by self-heating of the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element; and   after the increase of ON voltage is stopped, allowing the wide-gap bipolar semiconductor element to be applied with a current up to the rated current.