Automotive Power Module Packaging: Current Status and Future Trends
TL;DR: This paper presents a comprehensive review of the automotive power module packaging technologies and concludes that a preferable overall performance could be achieved by combining multiple technologies.
Abstract: Semiconductor power modules are core components of power electronics in electrified vehicles. Packaging technology often has a critical impact on module performance and reliability. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the automotive power module packaging technologies. The first part of this paper discusses the driving factors of packaging technology development. In the second section, the design considerations and a primary design process of module packaging are summarized. Besides, major packaging components, such as semiconductor dies, substrates, and die bonding, are introduced based on the conventional packaging structure. Next, technical details and innovative features of state-of-the-art automotive power modules from major suppliers and original equipment manufacturers are reviewed. Most of these modules have been applied in commercial vehicles. In the fourth part, the system integration concept, printed circuit board embedded packaging, three-dimensional packaging, press pack packaging, and advanced materials are categorized as promising trends for automotive applications. The advantages and drawbacks of these trends are discussed, and it is concluded that a preferable overall performance could be achieved by combining multiple technologies.
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TL;DR: In this article , the authors reviewed the recent progress in these four technologies on hybrid powertrain platforms and discussed the working principles, influencing factors, benefit potentials, advantages, and disadvantages of each technology.
23 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors review thermal management strategies for major power electronics components in electric vehicles as well as their failure modes since high temperatures can be detrimental to the performance of power electronics.
Abstract: The design of the thermal management solution has a significant impact on the reliability and power density of power electronics. As the electric vehicle industry moves towards increasing the efficiency and output power, the cooling system must effectively remove the excess heat dissipated in power electronics. The main heat-generating components are the semiconductor switches, but other components, such as bus bars and power capacitors also dissipate heat and require cooling. Currently, indirect, direct, and double-sided cooling methods are the most common in electric vehicles and account for 14-33% of the total volume of traction inverters. However, power electronic packaging sizes are expected to decrease, while the heat dissipation continues to increase, hence advanced cooling technologies are being investigated. This paper aims to review the thermal management strategies for major power electronics components in electric vehicles as well as their failure modes since high temperatures can be detrimental to the performance of power electronics. Cooling designs that are currently implemented in electric vehicles and future cooling trends for the next generation of power electronics are reviewed as well.
10 citations
10 Oct 2021
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented a PCB-embedded silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET half-bridge module with low loop inductances, double-sided cooling, and integrated gate driver.
Abstract: This work presents a PCB-embedded silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET half-bridge module with low loop inductances, double-sided cooling, and integrated gate driver. 1.2 kV SiC MOSFET die are embedded in FR4 using a process developed by AT&S and are electrically connected and cooled through carefully placed copper-filled microvias. The electro-thermal codesign described here limited the power-loop inductance to 2.3 nH and the maximum junction temperature to less than $175 ^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$. Furthermore, integration of the gate drive circuitry within the module limited the gate-loop inductances to 2.2 nH and allowed for a high power density. The measured junction-to-case thermal resistance with double-sided cooling is 0.12 K/W, which is 57 % lower than that of a TO-247 package. A peak efficiency of 98.2 % was achieved when the PCB-embedded half-bridge modules were tested in a 22 kW three-phase ac-dc converter.
9 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , a double-side-cooled printed circuit board (PCB) embedded silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET half-bridge package with low loop inductances and an integrated gate driver is presented.
Abstract: This article presents the design and analysis of a double-side-cooled printed circuit board (PCB) embedded silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET half-bridge package with low loop inductances and an integrated gate driver. The 1.2 kV SiC MOSFET dies used in the half-bridge package are embedded in the PCB using AT&S's patented technique. The dies are cooled and electrically connected to traces in the PCB through copper-filled microvias. The design methodology accounts for both electrical and thermal performance, limiting the power-loop inductance to 2.3 nH and the maximum package temperature to less than the 175 °C limit. The integration of the gate drive circuitry allows for a high power density and 2.2 nH gate-loop inductances. At 0.12 K/W, the measured junction-to-case thermal resistance with double-sided cooling is 57% lower than that of a TO-247 package. Under similar operating conditions, the PCB-embedded half-bridge package also achieves a 5.6 times lower voltage overshoot and a 0.5% higher peak efficiency than a TO-247-based half-bridge. This article reports the first demonstration of PCB-embedded 1.2 kV SiC MOSFET packages in buck, boost, and ac–dc converters. The prototype three-phase ac–dc converter for an electric vehicle on-board charger is composed of six PCB-embedded half-bridge packages and achieves an efficiency of 98.2% and a power density of 182 W/in3.
8 citations
01 Jun 2022
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors review the thermal management strategies for major PE components in EVs as well as their failure modes since high temperatures can be detrimental to the performance of PEs and present the cooling designs that are currently implemented in EVs and future cooling trends for the next generation PEs.
Abstract: The design of the thermal management solution has a significant impact on the reliability and power density of power electronics (PEs). As the electric vehicle (EV) industry moves toward increasing the efficiency and output power, the cooling system must effectively remove the excess heat dissipated in PEs. The main heat-generating components are the semiconductor switches, but other components, such as bus bars and power capacitors, also dissipate heat and require cooling. Currently, indirect, direct, and double-sided cooling methods are the most common in EVs and account for 14%–33% of the total volume of traction inverters. However, PE packaging sizes are expected to decrease, while the heat dissipation continues to increase; hence, advanced cooling technologies are being investigated. This article aims to review the thermal management strategies for major PE components in EVs as well as their failure modes since high temperatures can be detrimental to the performance of PEs. Cooling designs that are currently implemented in EVs and future cooling trends for the next generation of PEs are reviewed as well.
7 citations
References
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Nagoya University1, University of Grenoble2, University of Padua3, University of Liverpool4, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology5, Massachusetts Institute of Technology6, HRL Laboratories7, University of Sheffield8, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven9, Fraunhofer Society10, Nagoya Institute of Technology11, University of Notre Dame12, Virginia Tech13, Infineon Technologies14, University of Glasgow15, University of Texas at Austin16, University of Bristol17, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology18, Cardiff University19, University of Cambridge20, Zhejiang University21
TL;DR: This collection of GaN technology developments is not itself a road map but a valuable collection of global state-of-the-art GaN research that will inform the next phase of the technology as market driven requirements evolve.
Abstract: Gallium nitride (GaN) is a compound semiconductor that has tremendous potential to facilitate economic growth in a semiconductor industry that is silicon-based and currently faced with diminishing returns of performance versus cost of investment. At a material level, its high electric field strength and electron mobility have already shown tremendous potential for high frequency communications and photonic applications. Advances in growth on commercially viable large area substrates are now at the point where power conversion applications of GaN are at the cusp of commercialisation. The future for building on the work described here in ways driven by specific challenges emerging from entirely new markets and applications is very exciting. This collection of GaN technology developments is therefore not itself a road map but a valuable collection of global state-of-the-art GaN research that will inform the next phase of the technology as market driven requirements evolve. First generation production devices are igniting large new markets and applications that can only be achieved using the advantages of higher speed, low specific resistivity and low saturation switching transistors. Major investments are being made by industrial companies in a wide variety of markets exploring the use of the technology in new circuit topologies, packaging solutions and system architectures that are required to achieve and optimise the system advantages offered by GaN transistors. It is this momentum that will drive priorities for the next stages of device research gathered here.
788 citations
"Automotive Power Module Packaging: ..." refers background in this paper
...Gallium Nitride (GaN) dies are commercially available but are currently not prevalent due to the larger CTE compared to the Si, thus making the epitaxial growth of GaN very difficult [22]....
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TL;DR: The performance of power electronic systems, especially in terms of efficiency and power density, has continuously improved by the intensive research and advancements in circuit topologies, control schemes, semiconductors, passive components, digital signal processors, and system integration technologies.
Abstract: A new era of power electronics was created with the invention of the thyristor in 1957. Since then, the evolution of modern power electronics has witnessed its full potential and is quickly expanding in the applications of generation, transmission, distribution, and end-user consumption of electrical power. The performance of power electronic systems, especially in terms of efficiency and power density, has been continuously improved by the intensive research and advancements in circuit topologies, control schemes, semiconductors, passive components, digital signal processors, and system integration technologies.
689 citations
"Automotive Power Module Packaging: ..." refers background in this paper
...Bond wires usually undergo fast and large-scale temperature cycling due to relatively high current density and low thermal capacity [36]....
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TL;DR: Partial transient liquid phase (PTLP) bonding as discussed by the authors is a variant of TLP bonding that is typically used to join ceramics and has found many applications, most notably the joining and repair of Ni-based superalloy components.
Abstract: Transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding is a relatively new bonding process that joins materials using an interlayer. On heating, the interlayer melts and the interlayer element (or a constituent of an alloy interlayer) diffuses into the substrate materials, causing isothermal solidification. The result of this process is a bond that has a higher melting point than the bonding temperature. This bonding process has found many applications, most notably the joining and repair of Ni-based superalloy components. This article reviews important aspects of TLP bonding, such as kinetics of the process, experimental details (bonding time, interlayer thickness and format, and optimal bonding temperature), and advantages and disadvantages of the process. A wide range of materials that TLP bonding has been applied to is also presented. Partial transient liquid phase (PTLP) bonding is a variant of TLP bonding that is typically used to join ceramics. PTLP bonding requires an interlayer composed of multiple layers; the most common bond setup consists of a thick refractory core sandwiched by thin, lower-melting layers on each side. This article explains how the experimental details and bonding kinetics of PTLP bonding differ from TLP bonding. Also, a range of materials that have been joined by PTLP bonding is presented.
453 citations
"Automotive Power Module Packaging: ..." refers background in this paper
...Soldering, silver sintering, and TLPB are three mainstream bonding approaches, and their properties are studied....
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...The major attachment technologies include solders [27], silver-sintering [28], and transient liquid-phase bonding (TLPB) [29], [30]....
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TL;DR: This literature work seeks to review the numerous research attempts thus far for high temperature die attach materials on wide band gap materials of silicon carbide, gallium nitride and diamond, document their successes, concerns and application possibilities, all of which are essential for highTemperature reliability.
Abstract: The need for high power density and high temperature capabilities in today's electronic devices continues to grow. More robust devices with reliable and stable functioning capabilities are needed, for example in aerospace and automotive industries as well as sensor technology. These devices need to perform under extreme temperature conditions, and not show any deterioration in terms of switching speeds, junction temperatures, and power density, and so on. While the bulk of research is performed to source and manufacture these high temperature devices, the device interconnect technology remains under high focus for packaging. The die attach material has to withstand high temperatures generated during device functioning and also cope with external conditions which will directly determine how well the device performs in the field. This literature work seeks to review the numerous research attempts thus far for high temperature die attach materials on wide band gap materials of silicon carbide, gallium nitride and diamond, document their successes, concerns and application possibilities, all of which are essential for high temperature reliability.
405 citations
"Automotive Power Module Packaging: ..." refers background in this paper
...In-depth reviews of each die attachment technology can be found in [31]–[35]....
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TL;DR: Transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding is a joining process that has been applied to many metallic systems throughout the ages, and yet it still holds promise as a technique for joining in aerospace and semiconductor applications as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding is a joining process that has been applied to many metallic systems throughout the ages, and yet it still holds promise as a technique for joining in aerospace and semiconductor applications. The TLP process produces a strong, interface-free joint with no remnant of the bonding agent. It differs from diffusion bonding in that the formation of a thin liquid interlayer eliminates the need for a high bonding or clamping force. The interlayer can be provided by foils, electroplate, sputter coats, or any other process that deposits a thin film on the faying surfaces. A schematic illustration of the process, shown in Figure 1, indicates that by placing a thin interlayer of an alloying metal containing a melting point depressant (MPD) between the two pieces of parent metal to be joined and heating the entire assembly, a liquid interlayer is formed. The liquid may form because the melting point of the interlayer has been exceeded, or because reaction with the parent metal results in a low melting liquid alloy. The liquid then fills voids formed by unevenness of the mating
338 citations