Semiconductor Suppliers Showcase Newest Devices at Power Systems World
Oct 25, 2006 5:12 PM
By David Morrison, Editor, and Mark Valentine, Technical Editor, Power Electronics Technology
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Engineers attending the Power Electronics Technology Conference and Exhibition, which runs through Thursday of this week at the Long Beach Convention Center, are getting a glimpse of the latest power semiconductor developments as vendors such as Infineon Technologies, ST Microelectronics, Cree, and International Rectifier, unveil their newest MOSFETs and IGBTs.
Infineon Technologies (www.infineon.com) is using the event to introduce its OptiMOS 3 family of 30-V n-channel MOSFETs. These MOSFETs promise to improve power supply reliability, while boosting energy efficiency by 1% to 1.3% over that of previous generation MOSFETs in the target dc-dc applications. The company claims best-in-class on-resistance for these MOSFETs as well as low gate charge. For example, an OptiMOS 3 power MOSFET in the company’s SuperSO8 package has a max RDS(ON) of 1.6 mΩ. In addition, the company will offer the devices in a new high-performance Shrink SuperSO8, which measures 3 mm x 3 mm.
Infineon is also introducing its fourth-generation CoolMOS CP family of devices with 500-V ratings. This family includes a device with a figure-of-merit of just 6.7 ΩnC in a TO-220 package. RDS(ON) for this device is 140 mΩ.
Meanwhile International Rectifier (IR) (www.irf.com) is extended its portfolio of parts in the DirectFET package to include a 200-V HEXFET MOSFET designed for use in isolated dc-dc converters operating from the industry standard 36-V to 75-V range. Up until now, DirectFETs were only available in ratings up to 100 V. But with the introduction of the IRF6641TRPBF, IR’s unique package with the double-sided cooling can be used in applications such as motor drives, class D audio amplifiers, and instrumentation.
In addition, designers of the isolated dc-dc converters can now use DirectFETs on the primary side of their converters. According to IR, one of the benefits of the new device is that it can reduce primary-side FET temperatures by up to 13˚C and reduce overall solution size by up to 50% versus two or three SO-8 devices. The IRF6641TRPBF specifies an RDS(ON) of 59.9 mΩ max at 10 V and a QG typical of 34 nC.
