In 2004, and even some time before the global PC gaming boom started, curamik® engineers from the field of high power laser cooler applications came up with the idea to use our unique Direct Bonded Copper (DBC) technology and developed special micro channel cold plates for CPU cooling.
Silicon carbide (SiC) has outstanding properties which makes it a very useful material for power semiconductor devices in multiple applications, such as renewable energy systems and inverters for electric vehicles. However, the specific costs ($/cm²) of SiC devices are and will remain higher than silicon (Si) devices, though the cost ratio may change in the future.
Stray inductance of switching circuits is one of the most critical parameters in the design of power electronics and is becoming even more important for systems using wide-bandgap semiconductors, such as SiC and GaN.
About two decades ago, engineers in the field of laser technique were looking for a partner to design and build high power coldplates that could support their need for a cutting-edge cooling system targeted to their laser bars. Together with the curamik® engineering team the idea of bonded micro-channel-coolers was born.
Among other measures, voltage, current and mission profile are critical parameters to consider in the selection of the substrate for a given application. In this blog, we look at common applications for multi-chip power modules to understand the rationale behind each technology.
The motor, battery and electrical control system are known as the tri-electric system of e-Mobility.
During the design phase of a power module, engineers select the components, materials and manufacturing technologies to fulfill the requirements regarding performance, reliability and costs set by their customers. Over-engineering can be desirable when safety, reliability and performance are critical.
In this edition we would like to answer a few frequently asked questions to benefit those new to the power electronics community and a refresher training for those experienced in the industry as well.
In a previous blog, we examined the current collector busbars for the cylindrical cell in electric vehicles. Many of the electrical, mechanical and thermal requirements are also applicable to prismatic cells. However, the manner in which a battery pack in the vehicle is designed depends on the OEM´s preference.
During this time of uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic, we greatly appreciate the strong relationships that have been built over the last decades. We are focused and working hard to ensure that we continue to serve you through this evolving situation.
The copper grain size is an important property of Direct Bonded Copper (DBC) substrates. Variations in the copper grain size cannot be fully excluded, but large variations may affect the subsequent assembly processes or the performance of DBC substrates. Module manufacturers can rely on the experience and competence of Rogers' Power Electronics Solutions team to deliver substrates with a consistent grain size.
Thermal management is a challenge that the correct busbar can assist with, especially for cylindrical cell connections where the busbar may connect hundreds of cells to make a complete module.
Direct Bonded Copper (DBC) and Active Metal Brazed (AMB) substrates have been available for the last four decades. Together they have made a large contribution to the market adoption and penetration of power modules.
The beginning of a new year is a time for resolutions. It is also a perfect opportunity to discuss key principles to design custom Direct Bonded Copper (DBC) and Active Metal Brazed (AMB) substrates.
Information on ROLINX CapLink solutions: a complete integration of a laminated busbar and discrete film capacitor.
In today's blog you will find an interview with Sebastiaan De Boodt, who works for Rogers Corporation.
Olivier Mathieu talks about the design, internal structure and thermal performance of our micro channel liquid coolers.
In the last decade power electronics has gained importance with climate targets set to cut greenhouse gas emissions; therefore increasing renewable energy consumption. The new generation is aware of the environment and pollution challenges that our society is facing, motivating and attracting young engineers to study power electronics.
While silicon is the most common element used for power semiconductors, copper is the most popular choice for conductor traces on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and ceramic substrates due to its electrical conductivity.
Electronic systems rely on efficient combination and distribution of voltages and currents from different sources. In high-power applications, such as industrial drives, renewable energy inverters, powertrains for electric vehicles and converters used in rail, energy must be channeled with minimal power losses.
In a recent Olivier’s Twist blog, the topic of Silicon Carbide semiconductor materials was discussed for future high power efficiency applications. There is also another semiconductor technology that is filling a gap in performance between Silicon and Silicon Carbide, and that is Gallium Nitride.
Dominik Pawlik explains the details about laminated busbars, the advantages and where the busbars are used.
There is currently a lot of interest for silicon carbide (SiC) as a semiconductor material because its properties make it more promising than silicon for power electronics applications.
A Quick Introduction to ROLINX® Laminated Busbar Solutions, Dominik Pawlik explains the details about laminated busbars, the advantages and where the busbars are used.
Josh Goldberg takes you to the floor of the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to take a closer look at some of the technologies that will soon be entering our lives.
In the world of electronics, heat can severely shorten the lifetime of a device. It is therefore necessary to move heat away from vital components such as chips, LEDs, and inverters to maintain optimal performance without shortening the lifetime. There are many different thermal management techniques that can be utilized by engineers depending on the devices heat density, space constraints, and cost.
A data sheet is the main source of information for design engineers to understand the overall performance of a power module. It provides a wide variety of values and diagrams but detailed background explanations on each parameter are often missing. On the other hand, a test set up cannot cover all possible applications or operating conditions and the values can vary according to the user's particular application.
I recently participated in the Battery Show in Novi, Michigan where I gave a presentation during the conference on the connection of the battery cell for electric vehicles (EV). For those of you who could not attend, here is a short summary and my observations on this subject.
Who cares about flatness? Process and application engineers do! These are not flattering words as they truly know how critical it is to understand and control the shape of one’s substrate, base plate and heat sink in order to achieve the best possible production yield and module performance. In this blog, I want to share with you some information about flatness that you may wish to consider as you design or use power modules.
Design engineers are selecting Direct Bonded Copper (DBC) and Active Metal Brazed (AMB) substrates as circuit material for bare semiconductor chips in their power modules as they efficiently dissipate the waste heat from the semiconductors and increase the lifetime of the modules. In this blog, we explain the production process for power modules and highlight the most important characteristics of the substrates at each step of this assembly process.
Nowadays the requirements for high power density, increased reliability and low inductance are not only important for busbars but also for complete inverter design. In higher-power applications such as traction, solar and wind inverters and the powertrains of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), energy must be channeled with minimal combining and distribution loss.
Thermal management is required to achieve optimal power electronic system performance and reliability. While in operation, power semiconductor devices generate a lot of waste heat as a result of conductive and switching losses. This heat has to be dissipated from the semiconductor junction to the semiconductor package and ultimately to the ambient environment to prevent thermal runaway.
As a design engineer for power electronics systems, you require the selected power module to fulfill its electrical function as described in its data sheet and you expect this module to be reliable meaning that it should operate under given conditions, in a defined period of time and within an acceptable failure rate.
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