Page 28 - PEN eBook February 2024

DESIGN SEMICONDUCTORS

Microchip’s SP6LI package (Source: Microchip Technology)

▶ Lower voltage overshoot: The low inductance DISPLAYING REDUCED INDUCTANCE
of the SP6LI package reduces the voltage AND ILLUSTRATION OF LONG-TERM
spike across the device during turn-off, which ENERGY CONSERVATION
protects the device from overvoltage stress and To demonstrate the reduced inductance of the SP6LI
improves reliability. package, Microchip has conducted a comparison
test with a conventional D3 package under the same
▶ Faster switching speed: The low inductance conditions. The test results show that the SP6LI
of the SP6LI package enables faster switching package has a significantly lower voltage overshoot
transitions and higher switching frequency, and ringing at the switch node than the D3 package,
which reduces the switching losses and indicating a lower parasitic inductance. The SP6LI
increases the power density. package also has a shorter switching time and a lower
switching loss than the D3 package, enabling a higher
▶ Higher efficiency: The low inductance of the switching frequency and higher efficiency. VisIC Technologies’
SP6LI package minimizes the switching losses
and the conduction losses, which improves the The reduced inductance and switching loss of the
efficiency and the thermal performance of the SP6LI package can translate into long-term energy V22TG D3GaN Features
power system. conservation and cost savings for the power system.
Microchip has estimated the energy consumption and
▶ Higher power density: The SP6LI package has a the cost of ownership of the SP6LI package and the D3 Top-Side Cooling
compact form factor and a high current rating, package for a typical application of a 150-kW three-
which allows a lower quantity of modules in phase inverter operating at 20-kHz switching frequency
parallel to achieve complete systems, which and 400-V DC bus voltage. The results show that Dedicated to EV Power
helps designers to downsize their equipment the SP6LI package can save up to 40% of energy and
further. reduce the cost of ownership by up to 28% compared
with the D3 package over a lifetime of 10 years. Electronics
Therefore, the SP6LI package is an ideal choice
for harnessing the capabilities of SiC devices and
enhancing the performance of the power system. By Saumitra Jagdale, contributing writer for Power Electronics News

References As electric vehicles are becoming industrially Gallium nitride as a material can cater to these
extensive, enhancing the capabilities of these vehicles stringent requirements and is highly compatible with
requires innovative power solutions. Here, power EV applications:
▶ 1Zhang, B., & Wang, S. (May 2021). “Parasitic Inductance Modeling and Reduction for Wire-Bonded Half- packages play a crucial role in the efficient and reliable
Bridge SiC Multichip Power Modules.” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 36(5), pp. 5892–5903. operation of power electronics within the vehicle. The ▶ GaN devices typically have a higher breakdown
power packages fitted into EVs demand efficient power voltage, which allows GaN power electronics to
▶ 2Sun et al. (2018). “Analysis and design of an overcurrent protection scheme based on parasitic inductance conversion—DC from the battery to AC power for the handle higher voltages.
of SiC MOSFET power module.” 2018 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), electric motor, high-frequency switching, fast charging,
pp. 2806–2812. advanced thermal management and more. ▶ GaN devices have high electric mobility and
fast switching speeds—capabilities crucial in

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