Keysight Technologies, Inc., a leading technology company that delivers advanced design and validation solutions to help accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, announced the new PD1550A Advanced Dynamic Power Device Analyzer, a next-generation Double-Pulse Tester (DPT) with enhanced capabilities that enable customers to test entire power modules faster and easier than ever before.  
 
PD1550A Advanced Dynamic Power Device Analyzer
Keysight’s PD1550A Advanced Dynamic Power Device Analyzer tests wide-bandgap power modules to deliver faster, more insightful testing and accelerate time to market.

Applications

Power modules are used in various applications such as electric vehicles (EV), solar power inverters, trains, home appliances and aircraft due to ease of design, high energy density and reliability. New, wide-bandgap (WBG) device-based power modules are now used by designers to take advantage of the device’s fast-switching operation, reducing the size of the power electronic module, and ensuring efficiency. However, WBG power modules also introduce test challenges that require new solutions to properly characterize these devices while eliminating failed prototypes and reducing design cycles. 

Introduced in 2019, Keysight’s PD1500A Power Device Dynamic Analyzer / Double-Pulse Tester was the first complete solution for discreet WBG power device characterization and is now used by power converter designers and power semiconductor manufacturers around the world. Now, the new PD1550A expands beyond the PD1500A’s capabilities to offer the first complete integrated solution that tests entire power modules (up to 1360 V, up to 1000 A). As a result, automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Tier 1 suppliers and power converter designers can test faster and gain more insights into power module characteristics, enhancing the safety and reliability of power circuits for automotive applications. 

“Leveraging Keysight’s measurement expertise enables us to provide customers focused on power semiconductor components and power modules with a high-performance and double-pulse test solution,” said Thomas Goetzl, vice president and general manager for Keysight's automotive & energy solutions business unit. “The new PD1550A expands our offering into whole power module testing, which is used in high-power converter designs, while maintaining ease-of-use and compliance to worldwide safety regulations.” 


PD1500A Power Device Dynamic Analyzer Key Benefits

Keysight’s PD1550A delivers an off-the-shelf, turn-key system that easily tests discreet devices and power modules with minimal setup requirements. It is fully certified to worldwide safety regulations and is calibrated and tested as a system, offering customers the following key benefits: 
 
  • Delivers repeatable, reliable measurements while simplifying and automating the testing processes. 
  • Eliminates the need for customers to build, test, certify and maintain an in-house system. 
  • Provides accurate gate voltage characteristics on high-side device using True Pulse Isolated Probe Technology. 
  • Ensures accurate high current measurement with high-bandwidth RF compensation. 
  • Includes interface board with solderless contact and exchangeable gate resistor technologies. 
  • Minimizes costs and accelerates time to market by reducing design time and number of prototypes needed. 
  • Working with customers, Keysight can customize the system to their specific needs, especially the pin and pad layouts.  
 

Learn more

For additional information about Keysight’s PD1550A Advanced Dynamic Power Device Analyzer, you can start here.