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Alberto Castellazzi

Lecturer in Power Electronics, Faculty of Engineering

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Biography

Alberto Castellazzi received the Master degree in Physics - Specialty of Electronics - from the University of Milan, Italy, in 1998 and the PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from the Munich University of Technology, Germany, in 2004.

From 1998 to 2000 he was with Carlo Gavazzi Space S.p.A., in Milan, Italy, as a designer of power electronics for space applications. In 2000 he joined the Power Electronics Department of Siemens Corporate Technology, in Munich, Germany, to work on the reliability of PowerMOSFETs in novel automotive applications.

In 2004 and 2005 he was a Research Scientist at the Institute for Physics of Electrotechnology of the Munich University of Technology, where he was mainly concerned with electro-thermal 2D device simulation of PowerMOSFETs and IGBTs. In this period, he also co-supervised students in a laboratory of electronics and a laboratory of process and device simulation; in 2005 he was in charge of the organisation of a series of seminars on electro-physics and was the substitute secretary of the commission for student matters.

From January 2006 until September 2008 he has been with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, in Zurich, Switzerland, as a Senior Researcher at the Integrated Systems Laboratory. In 2006 and 2007 he was a visiting researcher at the Power Electronics Associated Research Laboratory (PEARL) of ALSTOM-Transportation, in Semeac, France, where he worked on IGBT modules for traction applications.

He joined the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of the University of Nottingham in October 2008 as a Lecturer in Power Electronics.

Dr. Castellazzi is a member of the IEEE Power Electronics Society and Electron Devices Society and of the European Power Electronics Association.

Expertise Summary

Power device and assembly characterisation, modelling and simulation;

dc-dc converters; failure mechanisms.

Research Summary

Research interests and activities:

ü Multi-domain multi-level abstraction modelling and simulation of power components and assemblies ü Novel packaging and integration approaches for semiconductor power devices ü High-temperature electronics (SiC) ü Enhanced driving of semiconductor power devices ü Optimised cooling of power components and assemblies ü On-line electro-thermal characterisation of power devices ü Development of techniques for degradation monitoring ü Reliability investigations

Selected Publications

  • CASTELLAZZIA, A., TAKUNOB, T., ONISHIC, R., FUNAKIC, T., KIMOTOD, T. and HIKIHARAB, T., 2011. A study of SiC Power BJT performance and robustness Microelectronics Reliability. 51(9-11),
  • CARASTRO, F., CASTELLAZZI, A., CLARE, J. and WHEELER, P., 2011. HIGH-EFFICIENCY HIGH-RELIABILITY PULSED POWER CONVERTER FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.
  • CHOY, W. J., CASTELLAZZI, A. and ZANCHETTA, P., 2011. Adaptive cooling of power modules for reduced power and thermal cycling In: EPE 2011.
  • CASTELLAZZI , A., CHOY, W.J. and ZANCHETTA, P., 2011. Dynamic active cooling for improved power system reliability Microelectronics Reliability. 51(9-11),
  • SOLOMON, ADANE, TRENTIN, ANDREW and CASTELLAZZI, 2011. 3D Integration of a three-phase bi-directional power switch In: EPE 2011.
  • ESCROUZAILLES, V., CASTELLAZZI, A., SOLOMALALA, P. and MERMET-GUYENNET, M., 2011. Finite-element based comparative analysis of the thermo-mechanical stresses affecting Si and SiC power switches In: 2011 IEEE 8th International Conference on Power Electronics and ECCE Asia.
  • CASTELLAZZIA, A., TAKUNOB, T., ONISHIC, R., FUNAKIC, T., KIMOTOD, T. and HIKIHARAB, T., 2011. A study of SiC Power BJT performance and robustness Microelectronics Reliability. 51(9-11),
  • CHOY, W.J. and CASTELLAZZI, A., 2011. An approach to the regulated cooling of power systems In: 2011 IEEE 8th International Conference on Power Electronics and ECCE Asia.
  • WU, T. and CASTELLAZZI, A., 2011. Temperature adaptive IGBT gate-driver design In: EPE 2011.
  • SOLOMON, A. and CASTELLAZZI, A., 2011. Application driven integrated design of a half-bridge power switch In: 2011 IEEE 23rd International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs (ISPSD).
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, T. TAKUNO, R. ONISHI, T. FUNAKI, T. KIMOTO and T. HIKIHARA, 2011. A study of SiC Power BJT performance and robustness Microelectronics Reliability. 59(9-11),
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, T. TAKUNO, R. ONISHI, T. FUNAKI, T. KIMOTO and T. HIKIHARA, 2011. A study of SiC Power BJT performance and robustness Microelectronics Reliability. 59(9-11),
  • CASTELLAZZI, A., SOLOMON, A., AGYAKWA, P., LI, J., TRENTIN, A. and JOHNSON, C. M., 2010. High power density, low stray inductance, double sided cooled matrix-converter type switch In: 2010 International Power Electronics Conference (IPEC).
  • WIJEKOON, T., ABDESSELAM, F., CASTELLAZZI, A., JOHNSON, M., PICCO, N. and WHEELER, P., 2010. Optimum Component Technology Selection for an Expulsive Wing De-Icing System In: PEMD 2010.
  • ABDESSELAM, F., WIJEKOON, T., CASTELLAZZI, A., JOHNSON, M. and WHEELER, P., 2010. Design of an expulsive de-icing system for avionic applications: preliminary study and functional tests In: IEEE ICIT.
  • EVANS, P., CASTELLAZZI, A., CARASTRO, F. and JOHNSON, C.M., 2010. A computationally efficient electro-thermal modelling technique for coupled Multi-Disciplinary Analysis of Multi-Chip Power Modules In: 2010 22nd International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices & IC's (ISPSD), 6-10 June 2010. 297-300
  • CARASTRO, F., CASTELLAZZI, A., CLARE, J. and WHEELER, P., 2010. Control technique for power device electro-thermal stress minimisation in non-linear load variable-frequency resonant power converters Microelectronics Reliability 50.
  • ABDESSALAM, F., BOISSY, L., CASTELLAZZI, A., WIJEKOON, T., , WHEELER, P. and JOHNSON, M, 2010. Prelimary study for the integrated design of an electro-mechanical wing de-icing system In: CIPS 16-18 Mar 2010.
  • ESCROUZAILLESA, V., CASTELLAZZIB, A., SOLOMALALAA, P. and MERMET-GUYENNET, M., 2010. Finite-element analysis of the thermo-mechanical stresses affecting In: ESREF 2010.
  • CASTELLAZZI, A. and ABDESSELAM, F., 2010. Mixed-mode simulation based study of GTO performance in low-temperature pulsed operation In: 2010 International Power Electronics Conference (IPEC). 159-163
  • CHOY, W.J. and CASTELLAZZI, A., 2010. Regulated cooling strategy for reduced thermal cycling of power devices In: ESREF 2010.
  • WU, L. and CASTELLAZZI, A., 2010. Temperature adaptive driving of power semiconductor devices In: ISIE 2010.
  • CARASTRO, F., BLAND, M., CASTELLAZZI, A., CLARE, J. C., JOHNSON, C. M. and WHEELER, P. W., 2009. Investigation of the electro-thermal stress affecting IGBT modules in high-pulsed power resonant converters In: IET European Pulsed Power Conference, 2009. 1-4
  • CASTELLAZZI, A., JOHNSON, M., PITON, M. and MERMET-GUYENNET, M, 2009. Experimental analysis and modeling of multi-chip IGBT modules short-circuit behavior In: IEEE 6th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference, 2009. IPEMC '09. 285-290
  • CASTELLAZZI, A., JOHNSON, M. and MERMET-GUYENNET, M., 2009. Computation of realistic 3D temperature fields in the circuit simulation of power components and systems In: IMPAS 2009.
  • P. SOLOMALA, A. CASTELLAZZI, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, M. JOHNSON, 2009. New Technology and Tool for Enhanced Packaging of Semiconductor Power Devices In: IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics (ISIE 2009).
  • F. CARASTRO, M. BLAND, A. CASTELLAZZI, J. C. CLARE, C. M. JOHNSON AND P. W. WHEELER, 2009. INVESTIGATION OF THE ELECTRO-THERMAL STRESS AFFECTING IGBT MODULES IN HIGH PULSED POWER RESONANT CONVERTERS In: European Pulsed Power Conference (EPPC 09).
  • SOLOMON, A., CASTELLAZZI, A., HOYLAND, R., AGYAKWA, P., JIANFENG LI and JOHNSON, C.M, 2009. A highly integrated high-voltage bi-directional switch In: International Semiconductor Device Research Symposium, 2009. ISDRS '09..
  • CASTELLAZZI, A. and CIAPPA, M., 2009. Multi-domain multi-level abstraction modelling of integrated power devices Solid-State Electronics. 53, 1202-1208
  • CASTELLAZZI, A. and MERMET-GUYENNET, M, 2009. Power device stacking using surface bump connections In: 21st International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices & IC's, 2009. ISPSD 2009. 204-207
  • CASTELLAZZI, A., 2009. Comprehensive Compact Models for the Circuit Simulation of Multi-Chip Power Modules IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.
  • CARASTRO, F., CASTELLAZZIA, A., CLARE, J.C., JOHNSON, M., BLAND, M. and WHEELER, P.W., 2009. Reliability considerations in pulsed power resonant conversion Microelectronics Reliability. 49, 1352-1357
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, J. SAIZ, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, 2009. Experimental Characterisation and Modelling of High-Voltage IGBT Modules Off-State Thermal Instability In: 13th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE 2009).
  • L. DALESSANDRO, N. KARRER, M. CIAPPA, A. CASTELLAZZI, W. FICHTNER, 2008. Online and Offline Current Monitoring of Parallel Switched High-Voltage Multi-Chip IGBT Modules In: Proc. of the 39th IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference (PESC 2008), Rhodes, Greece, June 15-19, 2008..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, W. FICHTNER, 2008. VHDL-AMS simulation of integrated power systems: a unified solution for multi-domain multi-level abstraction analysis In: Proc. of the 5th International Conference on Integrated Power Electronics Systems (CIPS 2008), Nürnberg, Germany, March 11-13, 2008..
  • BOLZ, S., CASTELLAZZI, A., KNORR, R. and SELIGER, N., 2008. Steuerung eines Betriebes eines Halbleiterschalters DE102004020273B4 11/01/2008 00:00:00
  • M. MERMET-GUYENNET, A. CASTELLAZZI, P. LASSERRE, J. SAIZ, 2008. 3D Integration of Power Semiconductor Devices based on Surface Bump Technology In: Proc. of the 5th International Conference on Integrated Power Electronics Systems (CIPS 2008), Nürnberg, Germany, March 11-13, 2008..
  • CASTELLAZZI, A. and CIAPPA, M., 2008. Novel simulation approach for transient analysis and reliable thermal management of power devices In: 19th European Symposium Reliability of Electron Devices, Failure Physics and Analysis (ESREF 2008).
  • L. VIGNAUX, J. SAIZ, A. CASTELLAZZI, P. LADOUX, 2008. VHDL-AMS traction drive model including a 3D description of thermal effects In: Proc. of the 19th International Symposium on Power Electronics, Electrical Drives, Automation and Motion (SPEEDAM 2008), Ischia, Italy, June 11-13, 2008..
  • G. BANCKAERT, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, A. CASTELLAZZI, 2008. A study of pressed contact technology on IGBT devices between –40°C and +200°C In: Proc. of the 5th International Conference on Integrated Power Electronics Systems (CIPS 2008), Nürnberg, Germany, March 11-13, 2008..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, 2008. Multi-Level Electro-Thermal Modelling for Circuit Simulation of Packaged Power Devices In: Proc. of the 11th IEEE Workshop on Control and Modeling for Power Electronics (COMPEL 2008), Zurich, Switzerland, August 18-20, 2008..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, 2008. , Novel simulation approach for transient analysis and reliable thermal management of power devices Microelectronics Reliability. 48, 1500-1504
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, E. BATISTA, M. CIAPPA, J.M. DIENOT, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, W. FICHTNER, 2008. Full Electro-Thermal Model of a 6.5kV Field-Stop IGBT Module In: Proc. of the 39th IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference (PESC 2008), Rhodes, Greece, June 15-19, 2008..
  • P.SOLOMALALA, J. SAIZ, A. LAFOSSE, A. CASTELLAZZI, X. CHAUFFLEUR, J.P. FRADIN, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, 2007. Multi-domain simulation platform for virtual prototyping of integrated power systems In: Proc. of the 12th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE 2007), Aalborg, Denmark, 2 - 5 September 2007.
  • P.SOLOMALALA, J. SAIZ, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, X. CHAUFFLEUR, J. P. FRADIN, 2007. Virtual reliability assessment of integrated power switches based on multi-domain simulation approach Microelectronics Reliability. 47, 1343-1348
  • M. CIAPPA, A. CASTELLAZZI, 2007. Reliability of high-power IGBT modules for traction applications In: Proc. of IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium 2007 (IRPS 2007), Phoenix, Arizona, USA, April 2007. Invited paper..
  • X. PERPINYA, A. CASTELLAZZI, M. PITON, G. LOURDEL, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, J. REBOLLO, 2007. Temperature distribution and shot-circuit events in IGBT-modules used in traction inverters In: Proc. of the 2007 IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics (ISIE 2007), Vigo, Spain, June 2007.
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, W. FICHTNER, M. PITON, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, 2007. A study of the threshold-voltage suitability as an application-related reliability indicator for planar-gate non-punch-through IGBTs Microelectronics Reliability. 47, 1713-1718
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, 2007. Electro-thermal characterization for reliability of modern low-voltage PowerMOSFETs IEEE Transactions on Device and Material Reliability. Vol. 7(No. 4),
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, 2007. Smart-Power Device Model Coupling Compact, Distributed and Logic-Level Description In: Proc. of the 2007 International Semiconductor Device Research Symposium (ISDRS 2007), Washington DC, Maryland, U.S.A., December 12-14, 2007..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, G. LOURDEL, M. CIAPPA, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, W. FICHTNER, 2007. Comprehensive electro-thermal compact model of a 3.3kV-1200A IGBT module In: Proc. of the 1st International Conference on Power Engineering, Energy and Electrical Drives (POWERENG 2007), Setubal, Portugal, April 2007..
  • X. PERPINYA, A. CASTELLAZZI, M. PITON, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, J. MILLAN, 2007. Failure-relevant abnormal events in power inverters considering measured IGBT module temperature inhomogeneities Microelectronics Reliability. 47, 1784-1789
  • E. BATISTA, A. CASTELLAZZI, J. DIENOT, M. CIAPPA, W. FICHTNER, 2007. Accurate Mixed Electrical and Electromagnetic Model of a 6,5kV IGBT Module In: Proc. of the 7th International Conference on Power Electronics (ICPE 2007), Daegu, South Korea, October 2007.
  • J. URRESTI-IBAÑEZ, A. CASTELLAZZI, M. PITON, J. REBOLLO, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, M. CIAPPA, 2007. Robustness test and failure analysis of IGBT modules during turn-off Microelectronics Reliability. 47, 1725-1729
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, W. FICHTNER, E. BATISTA, J. DIENOT, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, 2007. Electro-Thermal Model of a High-Voltage IGBT Module for Realistic Simulation of Power Converters In: Proc. of the 37th European Solid-State Device Research Conference (ESSDERC 2007), Munich, Germany, 11-13 September 2007.
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, P. LASSERRE, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, 2007. Bump-Technology Based Vertical Integration of Silicon Power Devices In: Proc. of the 2007 International Semiconductor Device Research Symposium (ISDRS 2007), Washington DC, Maryland, U.S.A., December 12-14, 2007.
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. CIAPPA, J. URRESTI-IBAÑEZ, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, W. FICHTNER, 2007. Integrated Compact Modelling of a Planar-Gate Non-Punch-Through 3.3kV-1200A IGBT Module for Insightful Analysis and Realistic Interpretation of the Failure Mechanisms In: Proc. of the 19th IEEE International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs (ISPSD 2007), Jeju, South Korea, May 2007..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, G. WACHUTKA, 2006. Low-voltage PowerMOSFETs used as dissipative elements : electro-thermal analysis and characterisation In: Proc. of the 37th IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference (PESC 2006), Jeju, South Korea, June 2006..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, Y. G. GERSTENMAIER, R. KRAUS, G. WACHUTKA, 2006. Reliability analysis and modeling of PowerMOSFETs in the 42V-PowerNet IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics. 21(3),
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. HONSBERG-RIEDL, G. WACHUTKA, 2006. Thermal characterisation of power devices during transient operation Microelectronics Journal. 37, 145 – 151
  • D. BARLINI, M. CIAPPA, A. CASTELLAZZI, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, W. FICHTNER, 2006. New technique for the measurement of the static and of the transient junction temperature in IGBT devices under operating conditions Microelectronics Reliability. 46, 1772 – 1777
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, G. LOURDEL, M. CIAPPA, M. MERMET-GUYENNET, W. FICHTNER, 2006. Compact modelling and analysis of power-sharing unbalances in IGBT modules used in traction applications Microelectronics Reliability. 46, 1754 – 1759
  • Y. G. GERSTENMAIER, A. CASTELLAZZI, G. WACHUTKA, 2006. Electro-thermal simulation of multi-chip modules with novel transient thermal model and time-dependent boundary conditions IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics. 21(1),
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. HONSBERG-RIEDL, G. WACHUTKA, 2005. Temperature measurements on smart-power ICs during pulsed operation In: Proc. of 12th International Conference Mixed Design of Integrated Circuit and Systems (MIXDES 2005), Krakow, Poland, June 2005. Outstanding Paper Award..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, M. HONSBERG-RIEDL, G. WACHUTKA, 2004. Fast transient thermal characterisation of power devices In: Proc. of the 10th IEEE International Workshop on Thermal Investigations of Ics and Systems (THERMINIC 2004), Sophia Antipolis, France, September 2004..
  • Y. G. GERSTENMAIER, A. CASTELLAZZI, G. WACHUTKA, 2004. Electro-thermal simulation of multi-chip modules with novel transient thermal model In: Proc. of the 10th IEEE International Workshop on Thermal Investigations of Ics and Systems (THERMINIC 2004), Sophia Antipolis, France, September 2004..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, H. SCHWARZBAUER, D. SCHMITT-LANDSIEDEL, 2004. Analysis of PowerMOSFET chips failed in thermal instability Microelectronics Reliability. 44, 1419 – 1424
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, V. KARTAL, R. KRAUS, N. SELIGER, M. HONSBERG-RIEDL, D. SCHMITT-LANDSIEDEL, 2003. Hot-spot measurements and analysis of electrothermal effects in low-voltage PowerMOSFETs Microelectronics Reliability. 43, 1877 – 1882
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, R. KRAUS, N. SELIGER, D. SCHMITT-LANDSIEDEL, 2003. Influence of parasitic inductance on the switching behaviour of PowerMOSFETs used in automotive applications In: Proc. of the 10th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE 2003), Toulouse, France, September 2003..
  • A. CASTELLAZZI, R. KRAUS, N. SELIGER, D. SCHMITT-LANDSIEDEL, 2002. Reliability analysis of PowerMOSFETs with the help of compact models and circuit simulation Microelectronics Reliability. 42, 1605 – 1610

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