Thesis work - Accurate Characterization of PCB and Power Module Parasitics

About this opportunity - Background

As part of Volvo Cars Electrification Strategy, The Power Electronics department within Vehicle Propulsion is developing Power Electronics for Traction Inverter in both hardware and software areas.
We are aiming for world class performance of these systems with high attention to energy efficiency and sustainability. Therefore, we need to further expand our knowledge and capability within modelling and simulations of inverter system performance using latest technology tools and methods.

Scope of the thesis work

This study aims to systematically characterize parasitic components in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and power modules using a range of measurement techniques across different frequency domains. Both classical low-frequency instruments, such as LCR meters and impedance analyzers, and high-frequency tools like vector network analyzers (VNAs), will be employed to extract key parasitic elements including stray inductance, capacitance, and resistance. The measurement results will be benchmarked against electromagnetic (EM) simulations performed in Ansys to assess the accuracy and limitations of each approach. Finally, the parasitic components will be implemented into a double-pulse test circuit (DPT) and validated against experimental results. The outcome will help to identify the most reliable and practical methods for parasitic characterization in high-performance power electronic systems in automotive applications.

Objectives
Provide guidelines for selecting the most appropriate technique for parasitic characterization in advanced power electronic systems.

Activities
•    Extract parasitic components from PCBs and power modules using multiple measurement techniques
•    Compare the performance of low-frequency instruments with high-frequency equipment
•    Benchmark measurement results against EM simulations
•    Validate through simulated and experimental DPT results 
•    Assess the accuracy, frequency-domain suitability, and practical limitations of each measurement method.

What you'll bring

We welcome students with electrical engineering background, with strong power electronic knowledge, familiar with simulation tools (i.e. Ansys and LTSpice), hands-on experience with lab instruments (i.e. Oscilloscope, probe, power supply, ...) and who are eager to learn and work in advanced engineering projects. Students should be available fully on-site.

Duration

•    The work will start in January 2026 
•    The duration for this thesis work is 20 weeks.
•    30 ECTS (Master academic credits) in agreement with your Thesis Advisor in University
•    This thesis is to be conducted by 2 Students working in pair.