Three-dimensional transient thermal simulation: application to delayed short circuit protection in power ICs

Thermal effects may represent a limiting factor in the development of integrated circuits. As the power dissipated by integrated circuits becomes more relevant, the need increases for accurate modeling of the stationary and transient thermal behavior of the die-package structure. An analytical solution of the three-dimensional transient thermal diffusion problem is presented for a two-layer structure, together with a simple computer program for the calculation of the solution. The program, implemented on a minicomputer, is proven to be fast and accurate. The simulation technique is then applied to the design of a new short-circuit protection of a 6A current booster.