FUJI ELECTRIC JOURNAL July/2005 (Vol.78-No.4)

TOP PAGE Semiconductors

Fuji Electric's Semiconductors : Current Status and Future Outlook
Tatsuhiko Fujihira, Hirokazu Kaneda, Shu-ichiro Kuneta
In order to raise the standard of living and promote economic development throughout the world while simultaneously protecting the global environment, the usage of electric power must become more efficient. Fuji Electric has been improving the performance, compactness, reliability and cost of its power semiconductor products so as to help limit the increase in global consumption of electric power through expanding the use of power electronic equipment, improving power conversion efficiency, and reducing the use of resources. This paper presents the current status and future outlook of Fuji Electric's main products: power modules, power discretes and power ICs.

U4-series of IGBT modules
Kouichi Haraguchi, Shuji Miyashita, Yuichi Onozawa
Power conversion equipment, as typified by general-purpose inverters and uninterruptible power supplies, are subject to never-ending requests for higher efficiency, smaller size, lower cost and less acoustic noise. Power semiconductor devices used in inverter circuits are also required to have higher performance, lower cost and higher reliability. Accordingly, a 5th generation IGBT module (U-series), which provides much-improved performance compared to the 4th generation IGBT module (S-series), has been developed. This paper describes the U4-series, developed to realize stronger anti-noise performance and improved characteristics, and also introduces the product line-up and latest device technology incorporated in this series.

Small-Pack and Small-PIM IGBT Modules
Kousuke Komatsu, Masayuki Soutome, Osamu Ikawa
Lower loss, smaller size and lighter weight are never-ending requests for the power modules used in power conversion equipment. In response, Fuji Electric has developed the small-pack and small-PIM series of IGBT modules for low output loads such as consumer electronic appliances. The main features of these modules are listed below.
(1)Rated voltage and current : 10 to 50A / 600V, 10 to 35A / 1,200V
(2)Small-size and light weight : Compared to prior products having the same ratings, the space required for installation has been reduced by 25%, and due to the use of a structure that does not have a copper base, weight has been reduced by 87% and the cost decreased.
(3)Compliance with environmental regulations (lead-free package)

High-power IGBT Modules for Industrial Use
Takashi Nishimura, Hideaki Kakiki, Takatoshi Kobayashi
In response to a diversifying array of market needs, Fuji Electric has recently been actively developing products for the growing market of high-power devices and equipment. We have developed a series of industrial-use high-power IGBT modules having breakdown voltages of 1,200V and 1,700V and current capacities ranging from 600 to 3,600A. The package sizes are 130x140 (mm) and 190x140 (mm), and modules are provided in 1-in-1 and 2-in-1 configurations.

Lead-free IGBT Modules
Yoshitaka Nishimura, Kazunaga Ohnishi, Eiji Mochizuki
In response to environmental problems, lead-free solder has recently begun to be used instead of the conventional lead-content solder in the mounting of electronic components. Accordingly, it is desired for IGBT modules to also be made without any lead content. By optimizing the coefficient of thermal expansion of the insulating substrate and by using SnAgIn solder, Fuji Electric has successfully achieved practical application of lead-free IGBT modules.

A Self-isolated Single-chip Ignitor Series for Automobiles
Noriyuki Hemmi, Sakuei Takahashi, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto
In 1998, Fuji Electric began mass-producing the F5025, a singlechip ignitor that integrates an IGBT switching element and a self-isolated control unit onto a silicon chip for use in automotive ignition systems. This paper introduces the subsequent products developed to expand this product series, focusing specifically on the F6007L, featuring a high clamp voltage, the F6008L, equipped with an overheat protection function, and the F6010L-S, housed in a surface-mount package.

Super-small Intelligent Power Switch
Shin Kiuchi, Yasuki Yoshida, Morio Iwamizu
This paper introduces Fuji Electric's F5054H, a super-small intelligent power switch (IPS). Developed to support the trend toward increasingly smaller automotive electronic systems, the F5054H integrates a power semiconductor and peripheral protection and control circuitry (which previously had been added separately to conventional systems) into a single chip and it fits in a chip-size package (CSP). It integrates protection circuitry for over-current, over-voltage and over temperature protection, a self-diagnosis function, and a status output circuit together with a power MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) into a single chip and requires a mounting area of only 8.4 mm2, which is a 70% reduction compared to the conventional SOP-8 package IPS.

Schottky Barrier Diode Series
Tetsuhiro Morimoto, Masaki Ichinose, Mitsuhiro Kakefu
Smaller and lighter weight electronic devices are in demand for application to switching power supplies, where higher efficiency and lower loss are required. Especially in the growing markets for compact mobile devices and battery chargers, there is strong demand for smaller and thinner semiconductors. The 2-pin SD package has been applied in response to these demands. Fuji Electric has recently expanded its series of 4 A-rated, low VF, low IR Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs). Meanwhile, Fuji Electric has also expanded its series of 120 to 200V SBD lead packages for application to high voltage, low-power power supplies. This paper presents an overview of the products of both series, having been developed by optimizing the respective wafer specifications and barrier metal designs.

Micro DC-DC Converter
Isao Sano, Zenchi Hayashi, Masaharu Edo
This paper introduces the FB6800 series of micro DC-DC converters developed by Fuji Electric. The FB6800 series integrates an inductor and control IC into a micro DC-DC converter suitable for use in portable electronics equipment, where small size and light weight are required. Seven types of these micro DC-DC converters have been commercialized for use in buck, boost and inverted boost converters in order to support various output voltages with a 2-cell Li-ion battery input. Micro DC-DC converters contain an inductor, which requires a relatively large mounting area, and have been realized with external dimensions of 3.5 mmx3.5 mm and thickness of 1mm, contributing to miniaturization and lighter weight of the chip set.

2-channel Current Mode Synchronous Buck Regulator Control IC
Akira Nakamori, Tomomi Nonaka, Akira Ichioka
Digital home appliances have become increasingly popular in recent years. Especially in Japan, where digital terrestrial broadcasting began in 2003 and all televisions will transition to digital technology by 2011, digital technology is expected to become central to Japan's networked society. Fuji Electric has developed the FA7731F 2-channel current mode synchronous buck regulator control IC, suitable for use with a CPU, as a power supply for digital television tuners which are rapidly increasing in popularity. This paper presents an overview of the FA7731F.

Quasi-resonant Controller IC
Hiroshi Maruyama, Hironobu Shiroyama, Takaaki Uchida
In recent years, the problem of global warming has attracted considerable attention and energy savings is increasingly being required of electronic products. Fuji Electric has developed a quasi-resonant controller IC that contains an internal 500 V high-voltage start-up device and is capable of reducing standby power consumption by controlling start-up current from a high-voltage system. By using this IC, the upper limit of switching frequency is lowered to reduce switching loss when there is a light load. Because of the low noise level due to the quasi-resonant control method, this IC is well suited for use in power supplies for printers and LCD televisions.

PDP Address Driver IC
Kazuhiro Kawamura, Akihiro Fukuchi, Seiji Noguchi
The PDP (plasma display panel) market is steadily expanding, and this expansion is being driven by the decreasing price trend of largescreen televisions. Requests for lower prices of driver ICs, a key component of PDPs, are also intensifying. In order to support even lower prices and higher functionality, Fuji Electric has developed a new process device technology that combines 0.6 microm micro-fabrication technology and high-voltage device technology, and has applied this to a 4th-generation address driver IC. This paper presents and overview of the 4th-generation PDP address driver IC and its device technology.

PDP Scan Driver IC
Hideto Kobayashi, Gen Tada, Hitoshi Sumida
As flat panel displays come into widespread use, the competition between liquid crystal display and PDP (plasma display panel) technology is intensifying. Performance improvements such as higher image quality and lower power consumption, as well as lower cost, are required of PDP technology. In response to these market requirements, Fuji Electric has developed and commercialized a low-cost scan driver IC capable of outputting a large output current and having low output-resistance.

Multi-line-sensor Modules
Akio Izumi, Yoshinari Enomoto, Toshio Yamamoto
Fuji Electric has developed a new small-size multi-line-sensor module, which because of its capability to detect distance distributions in two directions, can be used for recognizing three-dimensional spaces. This paper describes the function, structure and composition of the module. In addition, example measurement results of the module used together with a DSP (digital signal processor) for high-speed detection are introduced and applications for this module are proposed.

Composition Control of a-SiN:H Film Deposited by PE-CVD Method
Masataka Narita, Takuya Yokoyama, Yukimi Ichikawa
Hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN:H) films deposited by plasma CVD are interesting material; their film properties vary widely with their composition, and they are currently being used in various semiconductor devices. The deposition mechanism, however, is not yet well understood due to the complex nature of collisions and chemical reactions occurring in the plasma and on the film growing surface. In this paper, we describe the relationship between the film properties and the deposition condition for a wide range of film compositions, and also report the results of our recent fundamental studies for understanding the film deposition mechanism.

Simulation Technology for Power CSP Bump Design
Humiaki Kirihata, Shinichi Abe, Yasuki Yoshida
Stress and thermal simulation technology has been applied to the bump design of a power chip-size-package (CSP) to realize high-performance thermal and power management in automotive applications. Simulations were performed for bump heights ranging from 150 microm to 400 microm for both with and without under-fill material between the CSP surface and the ceramic base. Bump structures having a larger height and under-fill material exhibited longer heat cycle lifetimes. The power dissipation of 0.4 W at the output MOSFET portion of a CSP mounted on a 1.0 mm thick ceramic base results in a chip temperature of 144.27 under the ceramic base, which is at a temperature of 140 .

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