Project Details
Projekt
Conformal 3D Ceramic-Based Intelligent GaN Power Systems-in-Package (3D-CeraGaN)
Subject Area
Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
Term
since 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 462828009
The project aims to theoretically investigate and experimentally exploit the potential of three-dimensional ceramic circuit carriers for GaN based system-in-packages (SiP). Besides the new degrees of freedom offered by 3D integrated systems in terms of thermal management and high power density, additional advantages like the conformity to installation space and therefore miniaturization and fewer components will be investigated. The research focuses on intelligent power modules based on GaN power semiconductors and complex 3D-ceramic-based moulded interconnect devices (MID) and manufacturing processes for electronic substrates, their functionalization as well as the corresponding 3D-assembly and interconnection technology. The scientific and technical goals can be detailed as follows:- Verification of a multi-physics design flow for intelligent power modules containing paralleled GaN power transistors with driver circuits and various sensors as SiP on 3D ceramic circuit carriers.- Advanced driver approach and thermal design for optimized balancing of current distribution in paralleled, fast-switching converter systems for high current applications.- Design of temperature and current sensors and their read-out circuits for ultra-fast fault detection and active control for lifetime enhancement of the SiP.- Metrological verification of system level benefits like efficiency and building space conformance of a 3D-integrated GaN-based power converter for a low-voltage (48 V), high current (>100 A) lead application in comparison to conventional converters.- Hybrid approaches consisting of MID ceramics shall be considered from thermal, electrical & mechanical perspectives in conjunction with GaN transistors. The high flexibility, complexity and suitability for series production of the MID-technology shall enable advantages on system level and increase modularity (e.g. parallel switching by stacking of modules).- Thermal models are to be purposefully created based on Zth measurements & thermographic investigations and shall be compared to previous investigations conducted on MIDs and conventional 2D-Substrates.- Silver sintering is an established process in power electronics die attach. The application on the layer systems of ceramic based MIDs, however, remains almost completely unexplored so far. The effect of the substrate surface on the bonding quality and the diffusion mechanism on different metallization layers for GaN-based systems shall be investigated within this project.- Accelerated aging by Active Power Cycling are to be performed and possible failure mechanisms of GaN power electronics systems based on the ceramic MIDs are to be investigated. These lifetime tests are to serve as a basis for lifetime models.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
Subproject of
SPP 2312:
Energy Efficient Power Electronics "GaNius"
