POWER MANAGEMENT USING

POWER SEMICONDUCTORS

Document By
SANTOSH BHARADWAJ REDDY
Email: help@matlabcodes.com
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 ABSTRACT

Increasing vehicle electrical loads have prompted a global effort to develop a

standard for a higher-voltage power bus. While the loads can vary between
different types of motors, solenoids, lamps, displays and heating elements, the
power semiconductors and power management will be common critical
elements for success in the 42V architecture. The loads in early systems could
be split between the traditional 14V and the new 42V supply. At the same time,
voltages for control electronics are being decreased by the semiconductor
industry. This article will address these issues as well as the technology
advances in power semiconductors that are occurring to cope with both today's
14V and future 42V systems.
 INTRODUCTION

The proposed 42V specification identifies maximum voltages for normal and fault-mode
operation when a higher bus voltage is implemented. Of key concern is the maximum voltage
that will occur since this directly impacts the voltage rating of circuit components, including
the semiconductors. The present 58V maximum limit suggests the possibility for using 60V
rated semiconductors. Today, most vehicle and automotive electronics suppliers are primarily
concerned with system reliability when the 42V systems are introduced. This has resulted in
several higher-voltage specifications being proposed by semiconductor manufacturers
including 75V, 80V and 100V for power MOSFETs. Many power IC manufacturers are
establishing process capability to 100V.

Understanding the impact of the voltage specification to reliability and cost as well as new
design options that may provide equal or better reliability with lower cost can be key to the
transition to a higher system voltage. Analyses by users and suppliers of various components
are revealing a number of areas that are affected by the higher voltage. The technology
roadmap that the semiconductor industry is pursuing independently of the needs of
automotive systems is an important item in the "other factors" list that could impact the
implementation of 42V. This certainly will be a system design consideration for those
vehicles systems that use higher level microprocessors and digital signal processors. Since
these computing chips are fundamental to the control systems that are driving the power
consumption to higher levels, a brief review of the proposed semiconductor roadmap on
computing chips will be provided before analyzing the power chips that are directly affecting
higher-voltage operation.

The Semiconductor Industry Roadmap

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) periodically publishes a roadmap for

numerous parameters that historically have been very predictable. The recent 1999 roadmap
projects improvements that will happen until 2014, well within the timeframe that 42V
technology will be implemented in a large number of vehicles, according to several
automotive industry analysts' projections. Of special interest is the voltage decrease that will
occur for the highest performance microprocessors. As shown in Table 1, within 10 years the
supply voltage to these computing chips will be less than 1V.

Table 1. The Semiconductor Industry Roadmap [1].

Characteristic 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2008 2011 2014

Operating
frequency 1,250 1,486 1,767 2,100 2,490 2,952 3,500 6,000 10,000 13,500
(MHz)

Functions per
chip (M 23.8 --- 47.6 --- 95.2 --- 190 539 1,523 4,308
transistors)

Operating
voltage for
1.5 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.9 0.9 0.6 0.5 0.3
mobile
systems (V)

Battery power
1.4 1.6 1.7 2 2.1 2.3 2.4 2 2.2 2.4
hand-held

Minimum
logic for max
1.8 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.2 1.2 0.9 0.6 0.6
performance
Vdd (V)

High-
performance
90 100 115 130 140 150 160 170 174 183
with heatsink
(W)

Current
50 56 77 87 93 125 133 189 290 305
calculated (A)
In the portable (mobile) computing area, the operating voltage is projected to decrease from
1.5V in 1999 to 0.3V in 2014. Furthermore, combinations of voltages will be required
between 1999 and 2014 to keep the power consumption between 1.4W and 2.4W and still
power the various subsystems of the computer. This will add to the design complexity and
provide opportunities for different design strategies in power management.

The desktop computer's voltage will decrease from 1.8V to 0.6V during this same timeframe.
This decrease is not as drastic, but the current level will increase six times from 50A to
305A. Increased transient suppression will be required to avoid inadvertent transitions at
low-voltage threshold levels. Note that if the same level of accuracy, ±5 percent continues to
be used, the power supply voltage will have to be controlled within ±15 millivolts for
portable applications and ±30 millivolts for desktop computers by 2014.

Vehicles could use chips that are similar to those used in both portable and desktop
computers for systems such as multimedia, telematics and powertrain. Even if the usage is
delayed by two to three years before these systems are OEM products, after-market systems
with logic voltages less than 1V could appear by 2005. These voltage levels are totally
opposite to the 42V vehicle bus and will require local dc-to-dc conversion and power-
management performance levels that are quite different than today's systems and the power
management required for the higher voltage system. This will add to the complexity of
transitioning to higher voltage and must be considered as automotive industry roadmaps for
higher voltage are developed.

Power Management and Power Semiconductors in the 42V Architecture

The specifications that are being developed for the 42V system restrict maximum and
minimum voltage levels to provide a much narrower operating range than today's 14V
systems. To provide a transition path that utilizes the extensive hardware base that currently
exists, a 14V bus with tightly controlled maximum and lower voltage limits is also specified.
Figure 1 shows the voltage limits for both 14V and 42V portions of a dual-voltage
architecture system.
 Figure 1. Voltage limits in a dual-voltage 14V and 42V system.

Power semiconductor voltage ratings that were 60V and higher at the beginning of the last
decade for 14V systems have transitioned to ratings of 40V and lower for several products at
the end of the decade. The proposed 42V standard will restrict voltage maximums (and
minimums), but will still necessitate a voltage rating increase for any semiconductor that is
used directly across the 42V bus. The maximum limit of 20V on the 14V bus could mean that
30V, or possibly lower voltage, power semiconductors could be used. However, to use
modules with these lower voltage products in both dual-voltage and traditional 14V systems,
the transients would have to be limited in both systems.

As shown in Figure 2, the 42V bus will directly impact two of three types of semiconductors
[2]. The highest level of integrated semiconductors - microcontrollers, microprocessors and
digital signal processors - is represented by block C. They have been provided five ±0.25V in
the past and will have even lower voltage ratings, such as 3.3V, as they use increasingly
smaller geometries.

Block A is a power semiconductor such as a power MOSFET, a smart power IC or a

transient suppressor. These products will have to be rated at least at 60V with the proposed
specification limiting the maximum voltage on the bus to 58V, but more likely a rating of
75V or 100V will be used - at least initially.
Block B is a semiconductor that provides a transition from the 42V bus to lower-voltage
circuits, including lamps or MCUs, MPUs or DSPs. The number of these transitional circuits
will be high if a decentralized approach is used to utilize existing products that were
previously designed for 14V systems.

Figure 2. Types of semiconductors in 42V systems.

Voltage Implications on Semiconductors

For 42V applications, the choice of 75V or 100V or other voltage is not a simple matter. The
typical "safe" choice would be to select the higher voltage and settle for the efficiency that
could be obtained. However, with the avalanche capability that advanced power MOSFETs
provide, a voltage level of 60V may even be acceptable. Products such as IR's advanced
planar structure guarantee continuous avalanche capability as long as the maximum junction
temperature is not exceeded [3].

Safe operation of a power MOSFET requires operating below the maximum junction
temperature. Factors that will cause the junction temperature to increase include the impact
of steady state losses due to on-resistance, switching losses and operation in the avalanche
mode. The maximum current that can flow through a MOSFET under steady-state conditions
can be calculated by [4]:

Where: Tj is the maximum allowable operating junction temperature.

Ta is the maximum ambient temperature.
RT is the total steady-state thermal resistance for the ambient to junction path via the
heatsink.
Rdson is the effective resistance of the MOSFET corrected for maximum operating
temperature by multiplying the room temperature rating by a factor shown on the data sheet
based on the maximum junction temperature.

Typically RT includes:
R Ht/sk (heatsink)
R sub (substrate)
R Mtg (interface thermal resistances; often included with a substrate figure)
R j-c (junction-case)

Instead of selecting a higher-voltage-rated power MOSFET at 100V, a 75V device may be

used because of its avalanche capability. Using parameters obtained from the data sheet and
with a typical heatsink/substrate thermal capability of 1.7 degrees C per watt and operation in
125 degrees C ambient temperature, the maximum current can be safely increased without
exceeding the maximum junction temperature from 30.8A to 34.5A. In an actual system, this
maximum current would have to be lower to take into account the temperature rise resulting
from switching losses. However, the delta is a good indication of the increased performance
capability. Even though the 75V product may experience avalanche operation, the
temperature rise can be less of a tradeoff for reliability purposes than the loss in efficiency
from increasing the operating voltage. The analysis could be extended to determine if
operation with a 60V rated product was possible.

Temperature Effect
Breakdown Voltage On-resistance Maximum Current
on On-resistance

100V 9.8 m  x2.5 30.8A

75V 7.0 m x2.5 34.5A

ADVANCES IN POWER SEMICONDUCTORS FOR 42V SYSTEMS

A number of advances are occurring in power-management semiconductors that will improve
the ability to deal with the higher power and current associated with 42V systems. These
advances include operation at higher temperatures, i.e., 200 degrees C, die level packaging
and higher current packages. The trend in power semiconductors that has been occurring over
the past decade has been the transition from silicon-limited to wirebond-limited and now
leadframe-limited current-carrying capability. This section will identify developments to
address higher current-carrying requirements that directly impact 42V systems.

Addressing Higher Operating Temperatures

The increased safe operating area for power MOSFETs has recently been advanced to 200
degrees C [4]. With a maximum on-resistance of only 4 milliohms and breakdown voltage of
40V, the 200 degrees C IRF1704 can carry up to 20 percent more current and has a higher
safety margin and increased ruggedness compared to similar die size in the same (TO-220)
package. The on-resistance of this part is only 15 percent of the lowest value that was
available for vehicles just a decade ago. As shown in Figure 3, the increased junction
temperature of 200 degrees C can provide several more amperes of switching capability at
any operating ambient up to 200 degrees C. At a specific point, such as in a 135 degrees C
ambient, an additional 5A can safely be controlled in the steady-state mode by being able to
operate up to 200 degrees C. As mentioned previously, to take into account switching losses
or temperature rise from operating in avalanche mode, the maximum current would be lower
for either the 175 or 200 degrees C products. The additional temperature capability can also
be used to increase the safe operating headroom. In fact, the avalanche capability at a high
temperature is increased since the temperature rise during the avalanche phase is increased
by 25 degrees C. This is shown as increased EAR, repetitive avalanche energy, of 23mJ for the
200 degrees C versus 20mJ for the 175 degrees C product.
 Figure 3. Impact of increasing the junction temperature from 175 to 200 degrees C.
Note: At lower ambient temperatures, the packages are limited to 75A maximum by
the leads' current-carrying capability.

FlipFET and Die-Level Packaging

Semiconductor manufacturers are also designing power chips specifically for automotive
electronics customers to assemble into custom modules. Flip-chip packaging for power
MOSFETs will allow efficient and easier assembly methodology for the increasing power
loads in future vehicles that operate at higher temperatures. Figure 4 shows a power flip-chip
approach, called the FlipFETTM package, that is being developed for automotive applications
compared to the popular S0-8 package. Small-signal packages such as the S0-8 and SOT-223
packages can achieve on-resistance levels that were only possible in the much larger TO-220
package just a decade ago. These packages are being used in automotive applications today
and the FlipFET can achieve improved performance in a smaller footprint since the chip is
actually the package - a 100 percent utilization of the silicon footprint. In addition, since the
plastic package is eliminated, the FlipFET can operate at higher temperatures without
concern for glass transition temperature failures.

The front or mounting face of the FlipFET package contains the drain as well as the gate and
source contacts. A Nitride passivation is used to protect the die. The solder bumps are 63/37
tin-lead allowing easy reflow in normal surface-mount manufacturing operation. No under-
fill is required after the chip is attached to the printed circuit board. Products are currently
being developed specifically for automotive anti-lock braking systems and electronic fuel-
injection applications.

Figure 4. The SO-8 package compared to the power FlipFETTM package

Higher-Current Packages

Higher-current packages are also being developed to address the need for more current-
carrying capability from a single semiconductor package. As shown in Figure 5, the Super
TO-220 and SuperTabTM packages are comparable in design to the industry-standard three-
terminal TO-220 package commonly used for automotive applications with a few significant
changes. Based on highly efficient silicon and the use of multiple wirebonds, the TO-220 is
limited in current-handling capability by the leadframe to a maximum of 75A. The Super
TO-220 does not have a mounting tab with hole, and instead uses this area to attach a larger
size die to the lead frame and over-mold a larger portion of the leadframe. In addition, the
leadframe cross section has been increased. However, the footprint remains the same
resulting in an increased power density in a TO-220 outline. The Super TO-220 can have a
95A continuous current rating with a thermal resistance, R - jc, equal to 0.35 degrees C per
watt. The package adds less than a milliohm to the on-resistance of the chip and is also
available in a surface-mount configuration.

The SuperTab package is similar to the industry-standard TO-247, except that the source lead
has been designed to handle a much higher level of current. It has been specifically designed
for high-current applications and has a 300A continuous rating. The SuperTab package
actually exceeds the maximum current rating of a 60mm2 die. The package provides an
alternative to customers who need to handle high current and want to use a larger die than
today's standard packages allow without going to chip and wire assembly. The die-free
package has only 0.25 milliohms of resistance.

Figure 5. TO-220 package compared to a Super TO-220 and SuperTabTM package.

CONCLUSION

The change to a 42V architecture will have a significant impact on power-management

semiconductors. At the same time, power-management semiconductors will directly impact
42V systems. This paper has discussed recent advances in power-management
semiconductors that can directly benefit 42V systems.
 REFERENCES

[1] Semiconductor Industry Association Roadmap 1999, Semiconductor Industry

Association, San Jose, CA.
[2] Randy Frank, "Vehicle Integration of Electronics and Semiconductors," The Darnell
Group, Inc.
[3] Anthony Murray, Harold Davis, Joe Cao, Kyle Spring and Tim McDonald, "New Power
MOSFET Technology with Extreme Ruggedness and Ultra-Low RDS(on) Qualified to Q101
for Automotive Applications," International Rectifier website.
[4] Doug Butchers, "New Junction Temperature Limit for New International Rectifier
HEXFET- IRF1704," PCIM Europe, January 2001.
[5] Pamela Dugdale and Arthur Woodworth, "Current Handling and Thermal Considerations
in a High-Current Semiconductor Switch Package," IEEE APEC 2000, New Orleans, LA.

Document By
SANTOSH BHARADWAJ REDDY
Email: help@matlabcodes.com
Engineeringpapers.blogspot.com
More Papers and Presentations available on above site