FUJI ELECTRIC JOURNAL September/2006 (Vol.79-No.5)

TOP PAGE Semiconductors


Fuji Electric's Semiconductors: Current Status and Future Outlook
Tatsuhiko Fujihira, Hisao Shigekane
Protection of the global environment, especially the reduction of global CO2 emissions, is a matter of increasing importance. Fuji Electric has been helping to reduce CO2 emissions through expanding the utilization of power electronic equipment, improving power conversion efficiency, and reducing the consumption of resources by improving the performance, compactness, reliability, and cost of its power semiconductor products. This paper describes the current status and future outlook of Fuji Electric's main products: power modules, power discretes, and power ICs.
IGBT Module for Electric Hybrid Vehicles
Akira Nishiura, Shin Soyano, Akira Morozumi
This paper introduces core technologies for realizing highly reliable and lead-free IGBT modules and IPMs, which are used in hybrid vehicles, and also presents an example application of these products. If the module base is made from copper, cracks will occur during a temperature cycle test in the soldered area which joins the base and insulating-substrate due to the thermal expansion difference between these two components. The required reliability is realized by improving the solder material, the insulating-substrate, and the like. An overview of Fuji Electric's lead-free IGBT-IPM which was commercialized using these technologies is also presented.
New Dual IGBT Module
Hirotoshi Kaneda, Syougo Ogawa, Motohito Hori
Power conversion equipment, as typified by general-purpose inverters and uninterruptible power suppliers, are subject to neverending requests for higher efficiency, smaller size, lower cost, and less acoustic noise. Power conversion elements used in inverter circuits are also required to provide high performance, low cost and high reliability. Moreover, in response to environmental problems, lead-free solder has recently begun to be used instead of the conventional leaded solder. This paper describes Fuji Electric's New Dual IGBT module that is equipped with U4 chips, developed to provide improved characteristics, and that uses lead-free solder.
Novel Concept IGBT-PIM that Uses Cutting-edge Technology
Yasuyuki Kobayashi, Rikihiro Maruyama, Eiji Mochizuki
Power conversion equipment, as typified by general-purpose inverters and uninterruptible power supplies, are invariably required to provide higher efficiency, smaller size, lower price and higher reliability, and the power semiconductor devices used in inverter circuits are subject to the same requirements. Recently, requests for smaller size, lower price and lower noise have intensified, and a technical breakthrough that improves the tradeoff between low-loss and noise, and also realization of high heat dissipation capability shall be achieved. This paper introduces Fuji Electric's lineup of power integrated modules (PIM), which are based on a novel concept that combines low noise, small size and high integration, and also introduces the cuttingedge technology used in this product line.
Low-power IGBT Modules
Yoshiyuki Kusunoki, Kosuke Komatsu, Masahiro Kikuchi
The power modules used in power conversion equipment are invariably required to provide lower loss, more compact size and lighter weight. In response to these requirements, Fuji Electric has developed the "CP-Pack" and "CP-PIM" low-power IGBT modules that support low output loads such as home appliances. The main specifications of these modules are as follows.
(1) Rated voltage and current: 600V/5 to 30A, 1,200V/5 to 25A
(2) Compact size: Use of a leadframe construction enables a dramatic reduction in size compared to conventional products. Meets UL specifications for the 1,200V breakdown class.
(3) Complies with environmental regulations (lead-free package)
All Lead-free IGBT Modules
Yoshitaka Nishimura, Tatsuo Nishizawa, Eiji Mochizuki
Lead-free solder has begun to be used instead of the conventional SnPb solder in electronics packaging (in compliance with the European RoHS directive). Accordingly, it is desired that IGBT modules and IPMs be all lead-free. Fuji Electric has identified the mechanism that causes solder joints to fail, and has developed entire lead-free soldering technology that uses SnAgIn solder on the insulating substrate and SnAg solder at the terminal areas. This paper introduces the lead-free technology and product lineup of Fuji Electric's RoHS-compliant IGBT modules and IPMs.
Simulation Technology for Packaging
Fumio Shigeta, Motohito Hori, Souichi Okita
Power devices are being used in applications in the industrial, consumer and automotive and other various fields. Accordingly, the establishment of high-level integration technology for ICs and technology for providing higher reliability such as by providing greater ability to withstand thermal cycles, and the reduction in time needed to develop next-generation elemental technology and to evaluate package designs and reliability are important topics. This paper describes the thermal and stress simulation technology used in the development of these technologies and in package design, and presents example applications.
Development of Pressure Sensor Cell for Fuel Leak Detection
Katsuyuki Uematsu, Shigeru Shinoda, Syoujirou Kurimata
As a result of the OBD (on-board diagnostic system) regulations in the US market, gasoline evaporative leak detection for fuel tank systems is increasingly being required. Fuji Electric has developed a pressure sensor cell for fuel leak detection that uses a CMOS processbased digital trimming scheme. This paper presents a product overview, discusses considerations relating to the high sensitivity and high pressure design, and reports the results of a product evaluation. The basic specifications of the newly developed sensor cell are suited for applications within the pressure range of 6 to 10kPa (relative pressure), and package options support a wide range of mounting methods.
High-current IPS for Automotive Use
Shigeyuki Takeuchi, Masaaki Nakazawa, Takeyoshi Nishimura
Fuji Electric has developed the high-current "F5052H" IPS that targets motor control applications and relay-substitute applications. This product features a chip-on-chip structure consisting of a low ON-resistance (8mMAX) output stage power MOSFET having a trench structure, and a control IC. Main features include: (1) low ON-resistance, (2) small size package having high heat dissipation capability, (3) various protection functions (such as a function that suppresses the temperature increase when battery connections are reversed), and (4) high inductive load energy withstand capability (that prevents damage when the motor is locked and enables energy sharing when connected in parallel).
Power MOSFETs for Automobile Electric Systems
Yasuhiko Arita, Takeyoshi Nishimura
Fuji Electric has developed various types of power MOSFETs to support the trends toward digitization of in-vehicle electronic components and more efficient electrical systems. Fuji Electric provides a lineup of trench MOSFET products having low ON-resistance, high gate threshold voltage and high reliability for use in electric power steering systems and DC-DC converters in HEVs and so on. In addition, Fuji Electric is also promoting its Super FAP-G series of MOSFETs having high breakdown voltage and high-speed switching characteristics for use with DC-DC converters and the electronic ballast for discharge headlamps.
Soft-recovery Low-loss Fast Recovery Diodes
Tetsuhiro Morimoto
Fuji Electric has developed and commercialized 300V and 400V soft-recovery diodes ideally suited for 24 V or higher output power supply secondary-side rectification in a switching power supply where high efficiency and low noise are required. Compared to the 300V to 400V high-speed low-loss fast recovery diodes (LLD) used previously, Fuji Electric's new diodes have low leakage current and soft-recovery characteristics during switching, they help to reduce loss of the power supply, exhibit a small reverse voltage during switching and have low noise, thereby enabling a reduction in the number of components used for noise prevention. This paper presents an overview of Fuji Electric's new soft recovery diodes.
M-Power 2A Series of Multiple-chip Power Device
Takayuki Shimatoh, Noriho Terasawa, Hiroyuki Ota
Fuji Electric has previously developed a highly efficient, low-noise multi-oscillated current resonant circuit and the "M-Power 2 Series" of application-specific devices. The M-Power 2 Series is becoming popular as a power supply for flat panel televisions. However, due to the larger screen sizes of flat panel televisions in recent years, there is a need for larger capacity power supplies, and in response, Fuji Electric has developed a new "M-Power 2A Series" that supports larger capacity power supplies. The M-Power 2A Series can be used in switching power supplies of up to approximately 400W output power. This advanced series provides improved functionality and performance compared to the M-Power 2 Series.
256-bit PDP Address Driver IC
Takahiro Nomiyama, Kazuhiro Kawamura, Kenichiro Satou
The market for flat-screen televisions such as PDP (plasma display panel) and LCD televisions has grown rapidly, and lower cost and higher quality are being required of PDP televisions. In response to these requirements, Fuji Electric has used low switching noise technology, layout technology, and parasitic current suppression technology to develop the "FCE3273K" 256-bit PDP address driver IC. This paper describes these technologies and presents of overview of the product.
Multi-output PDP Scan Driver IC
Naoki Shimizu, Hideto Kobayashi
PDPs (plasma display panels) are required not only to be large in size, but also to provide high picture quality, have a low price and have low current consumption. Lower cost and higher performance is also required of the transistor ICs used to drive PDP displays. In response to these market requirements, Fuji Electric has developed a low-cost multi-output scan driver IC that enables the number of scan driver ICs used in a HD (high definition) panel to be reduced from 12 to 8, and the number used in a Full-HD panel to be reduced from 18 to 12.
Low Standby Power Quasi-resonant Control IC
Koji Sonobe, Takaaki Uchida
With the recent heightened awareness of global warming, the reduction of standby power that electronic devices consume, even when not being used, while plugged into an electric outlet has become an important issue. Fuji Electric is advancing its series of control ICs for switching power supplies having built-in startup elements that are effective in reducing power consumption. This paper introduces Fuji's quasi-resonant control IC that enables a significant reduction in standby power by operating intermittently while an electronic device in its standby state is under light load or no load conditions.
Buck Converter Control IC with Internal High Voltage MOSFET Switch
Masanari Fujii, Tamotsu Yoneda
The trends toward smaller size, lighter weight and higher functionality have continued for electronic devices in recent years, and the power supplies that drive these electronic devices are required not only to be small in size, highly efficiency and provide high output, but also to be quickly responsive to changes in the load. To satisfy these requirements, Fuji Electric has developed and commercialized the "FA7738N/P" single-channel buck converter control IC that has an internal high-voltage MOSFET switch with low ON-resistance and uses current control. This paper describes the features of this control IC and gives an example of an application circuit.
Micro DC-DC Converter
Isao Sano, Yoshikiyo Usui, Tomonori Seki
This paper introduces Fuji Electric's "FB6831J," a 2nd generation micro DC-DC converter that integrates an inductor and control IC and enables the small size and thin design required of today's portable electronics equipment. The FB6831J is a buck converter for a Li-ion battery cell. The device size is 40% smaller than the 1st generation product, and the external dimensions are 2.95mm 2.40mm and the thickness is 1mm. The FB6831J will enable smaller-size and thinner portable electronic equipment.
Relation between Plasma Property and Etching Characteristics in Trench Formation
Ayako Yajima, Setsuko Wakimoto, Yukimi Ichikawa
Silicon trench structures are used in various types of devices, such as trench gate MOSFETs and DRAM isolation and storage capacitors. Trench etching has now become a key process. We have been studying the relationship between plasma property and etching characteristics and trying to understand the mechanisms of trench etching to control the etching process more precisely. We studied the properties of plasma when the plasma source power and mask patterns, which have a large influence on the etching rate, are varied, and this paper describes the mechanisms by which those parameters affect the etching rate.

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