Early Fault Detection in SiC/GaN Power Semiconductors: Aging Assessment and Development of Fault Indicators

IFP Energies nouvelles - Mobilité et Systèmes

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IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) est un acteur majeur de la recherche et de la formation dans les domaines de l’énergie, du transport et de l’environnement. De la recherche à l’industrie, l’innovation technologique est au cœur de son action, articulée autour de quatre priorités stratégiques : CLIMAT, ENVIRONNEMENT ET ÉCONOMIE CIRCULAIRE, ÉNERGIES RENOUVELABLES, MOBILITÉ DURABLE et HYDROCARBURES RESPONSABLES.

L’engagement d’IFPEN en faveur d’un mix énergétique durable se traduit par des actions visant :

• à gagner en efficacité énergétique ;
• à réduire les émissions de CO2 et de polluants ;
• à améliorer l’empreinte environnementale de l’industrie et des transports ;

tout en répondant à la demande mondiale en mobilité, en énergie et en produits pour la chimie.

Dans cet objectif, IFPEN développe des solutions permettant, d’une part, d’utiliser des sources d’énergie alternatives et, d’autre part, d’améliorer les technologies existantes liées à l’exploitation des énergies fossiles.

Early Fault Detection in SiC/GaN Power Semiconductors: Aging Assessment and Development of Fault Indicators

The transition towards sustainable electric mobility relies heavily on advances in power electronics, which are essential for the efficient conversion and management of energy in electric vehicles, aerospace systems, and a wide range of industrial applications.

In this context, Wide Bandgap (WBG) semiconductors, particularly silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), are attracting increasing interest due to their superior performance compared with conventional silicon-based devices. Their low power losses, high-frequency switching capabilities, and high-temperature operation enable the development of more compact, efficient, and high-performance power converters. However, despite their significant potential, the long-term behavior of these technologies is still not fully understood. Aging mechanisms and failure modes remain insufficiently characterized, representing one of the key challenges in ensuring the reliability and lifetime of power converters.

The aim of this internship is to investigate the aging mechanisms of SiC and GaN power devices and to develop health indicators for assessing their condition and enabling the early detection of faults. The work will contribute to improving the reliability and lifetime of power converters for electric mobility systems and next-generation energy applications.

Internship Objectives:

The objective of this internship is to contribute to the understanding of aging mechanisms and to the development of Health Monitoring methods for power converters integrating Wide Bandgap (SiC and GaN) semiconductors, particularly for electric mobility applications.

The work will focus on the following main areas:

• Development of aging models capable of describing the evolution of degradation mechanisms over time and estimating the Remaining Useful Life (RUL). These models may build on approaches already developed at IFPEN, as well as on state-of-the-art methods, including theoretical, experimental, and hybrid approaches.
• Development and evaluation of artificial intelligence methods to improve existing aging models and enhance their ability to predict the evolution of degradation and the occurrence of failures.
• Identification and evaluation of relevant health indicators to characterize the degradation state of power devices, enable early fault detection, and ultimately improve the prognostic capabilities of power converters.

Candidate Profile:

The candidate should be a final-year engineering student or Master's student, with:

• Strong knowledge of electrical engineering and power electronics;
• Knowledge of semiconductor power devices, particularly SiC and/or GaN;
• Proficiency in simulation tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, LTspice, or equivalent;
• Knowledge of signal processing, modeling, statistics, or artificial intelligence would be an advantage.

Keywords: Power electronics, SiC, GaN, Wide Bandgap semiconductors, aging, degradation, fault detection, fault indicators, Health Monitoring, prognostics, Remaining Useful Life (RUL).

Internship Duration and Period: Duration of 6 months, from March to August 2027.
Location: Rueil-Malmaison, France

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