A Novel Approach to High Power Density Packaging for High Temperature SiC Power Modules

In response to Army SBIR Topic No. A02-232, we propose to develop a novel approach to package high power density SiC devices for high temperature operations. The proposed approach can lead to (i) substantially higher heat rejection, (ii) drasticallysimplified packaging technology, and (iii) greatly improved reliability for high temperature operations. In Phase I, we propose to study the feasibility by designing a package that would clearly indicate the outstanding features of the proposed approach.The key component of the package will be designed and experimentally demonstrated. Computer modeling will be carried out to assist the design of the key component. The fabricated key component will be characterized and tested under different temperatures.The feasibility of the proposed approach will be confirmed by demonstrating an improvement to the thermal conductivity by 20X in comparison to similarly commercially available package components. In Phase II, we shall optimize the computer model to assistthe design of the package, optimize the thermal conductivity of the key packaging component, fabricate the component based on optimization information obtained from the computer modeling, test and evaluate the component, drastically increase the thermalconductivity of the key component by 50X, fabricate multiple packages capable of handling power dissipations up to 1,500W/cm2, fabricate SiC power rectifiers and package them and evaluate the electrical and thermal performance of the packaged rectifiers atpackage case temperatures of 150C to 200C or higher. Because of the simplicity of the proposed packaging technology, if demonstrated successfully, it can be applied equally well to package the lower cost Si power IGBTs and diodes. A novel packagingtechnology ideally suited for packaging high power density SiC devices for high temperature and high reliability applications including the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy high power motor control and power supply systems as well as numerous commercialapplications