Refers to a common lifetime test in power electronics. The semiconductors are heated and cooled by a pulsed current. The thermal expansion results in thermo-mechanical stresses on the materials and layers of the component. This stress causes fatigue and cracks in the structure. The test and its end-of-life criteria are standardized with the AQG324.

A typical result for soldered and wire-bonded power modules is approx. 30,000 power cycles at a temperature range of 100K and a cycle time of 5 seconds.