High Current (>1000A), High Temperature (>200°C) Silicon Carbide Trench MOSFET (TMOS) Power Modules for High Performance Systems 2012-01-2209

The demands for high-performance power electronics systems are rapidly surpassing the power density, efficiency, and reliability limitations defined by the intrinsic properties of silicon (Si)-based semiconductors. The advantages of silicon carbide (SiC) are well known, including high temperature operation, high voltage blocking capability, high speed switching, and high energy efficiency. These advantages, however, are severely limited by conventional power packages, particularly at temperatures higher than 175°C and ≻100 kHz switching speeds. Here, APEI, Inc., presents the design process and testing data of its newly developed high performance HT-2000 SiC power module for extreme environment systems and applications. This advanced power module, targeted for high performance commercial and industrial systems such as hybrid electric vehicles or renewable energy applications, implements a novel low parasitic packaging approach that enables high switching frequencies in excess of 100 kHz. High temperature functionality offers system level gains in power density (reducing heat sink volume and mass), and allows service in high ambient temperatures, such as under the hood of a vehicle. The power module contains sixteen state-of-the-art 900V SiC Trench MOSFET devices developed by ROHM Co., Ltd., and features an ultra-low on resistance (~1.5 mOhm per switch position), extremely fast switching speeds (in the 10s of nanoseconds), and low switching energies. High current (≻1500A) and high temperature (up to 200°C) curve tracing results will be discussed, including on-state characteristics, on-resistance versus drain current, reverse and gate leakage, and high speed switching curves.