Highly integrated advanced power electronic systems for automotive applications

One of the most important challenges in advanced automotive electronics is to manage increasing power within smaller and smaller devices. Further important requirements are system cost reduction and high reliability. Within the VISA project (fully integrated power electronics for automotive), funded by the German government, new highly integrated packaging technologies are under investigation which cover active as well as passive components. Some essential technological insights will be presented first. Already in the very first design phase, numerical studies by means of finite element (FE) analyses have been carried out to ensure the desired reliability with respect to thermal and mechanical properties. This way, a pre-optimisation could be performed. Reliable material data are necessary for reproducible numerical results, including anisotropic information for the laminates built in advanced printed circuit boards (PCB), which have been tested in detail. Embedding active power components into a PCB, advanced lamination technologies, precise interconnecting, and test have to be managed precisely. As an example, an engine control unit with an embedded μController (chips size 7.9 × 6.3 mm² with 231 pins, 85 μm pitch) is chosen, and corresponding results from the VISA project are outlined below. Aim is to ensure the circuit topology of an automotive transmission control unit for life time requirements.