High-Density Power Modules: The Way of the Future

Mar 23, 2007 2:09 PM
By Alan Elbanhawy, director in the Advanced Power System Center, Fairchild Semiconductor International, San Jose, Calif.

Designing power devices to give the best performance possible for the application allows for the optimization of die size and, hence, price. Matching these power devices with the most suitable drivers then allows for extracting the last drop of performance from the driver IC-power device combination. That optimization leads to further reduction of the subsystem price without any sacrifice to performance, but rather, in many cases, with improved performance. Lastly, the control ICs are designed to take advantage of this optimized power train.

The modular approach means that the system designer does not have to spend precious time looking for the best MOSFETs from various manufacturers, the best drivers for those specific MOSFETs — a daunting task in and of itself — and, ultimately, the control IC to tie all these components together in a functioning subsystem. The module manufacturer has done all the selection and optimization. The designer now has to select the module, add a few inductors and/or transformers and capacitors to produce a functioning power system that, when done correctly, cannot be replicated in discrete solutions. Other advantages are smaller pc-board footprint, fewer components in inventory and a much faster time to market.

The complexity and sophistication of some of the integrated power modules available today from several companies is a very good indication of how impressive this approach is. Several large consumer-equipment manufacturers all over the world are adopting this approach, making this field a very exciting one for both the semiconductor subsystem designer and the end system designers.

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© 2007 Penton Media, Inc.