Smart Package Upgrade to Improve Power Density and Lifetime in Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Abstract:
Electrified drive trains in heavy-duty vehicles pose a challenge for semiconductors in a multitude of ways. One key element includes the highly repetitive load cycles that define demanding lifetime requirements for power modules. An upgrade of the well-established EconoDUALTM3 package is presented: a ribbon-bond structure on the backside significantly improves the thermal performance with an open, liquid-cooled heat sink, without altering the other parts of the power module. The thermal characterization of single modules is followed by application tests and lifetime considerations. The ribbon-bond upgrade enables an increase in output current by more than 20%, or correspondingly, a significant increase in lifetime for a given load profile.