SOI-Based Integrated Circuits for High-Temperature Applications

Potential shortage of world wide petroleum supply in the near future has created an enormous demand for green vehicles that use higher power electric motor drive in their traction systems. Application of power electronic modules in automobiles has generated the need for reliable and low-cost high-temperature electronics which can operate at the extreme temperatures that exist under the hood. In this paper, we are presenting an improved version of our earlier work on high-temperature and high-voltage integrated silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based gate circuit for SiC FET switches. This driver circuit has been designed and implemented using 0.8-micron, 2-poly and 3-metal BCD on SOI process. The prototype chip has been successfully tested up to 200oC ambient temperature without any heat sink or cooling mechanism. This gate-driver chip is intended to drive SiC power FETs in DC-DC converters in a hybrid electric vehicle. The converter modules along with the gate-driver chip may be placed next to the engine where the temperature can reach up to 175oC. Successful operation of the circuit at this temperature with minimal or no heat sink, and without liquid cooling, will help to achieve higher power-to-volume as well as power-to-weight ratios for the power electronics module.