Advanced packaging yields higher performance and reliability in power electronics

Power density of power electronics will continue to grow. It is always supported by progress in power semiconductors. Further significant loss reduction of IGBT and diodes becomes possible if power circuit design improves with respect to electro-dynamic performance. Efforts to improve cooling for better power dissipation out of smaller volumes appear to be disadvantageous in comparison to increase of junction temperature. The direction of increasing junction temperature is most effective for air cooled systems as well as liquid cooled systems with high ambient temperature. To enable long life time of modules under higher operation temperature heavy copper wire bonding and diffusion soldering of chips are presented to fulfill the requirements. New chip technologies with integrated heat buffers ensure transient thermal capability for shrunk power chips. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.