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Events
PCIM Europe, the leading trade fair and conference for power electronics, will be held in Nuremberg from 9 - 11 June 2026.
Fraunhofer IZM will be presenting its entire range of services from in the realm of power electronics at PCIM – covering everything from system design and packaging technologies for power electronics up to reliability aspects and cooling concepts.
At the “Dauerpower” project, an innovative inverter for electric vehicles was developed, enhancing efficiency and performance through improved cooling management and the use of silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors. The goal was to boost drive system performance, extend component lifespan, and reduce production costs. The entire system, including both hardware and software, was developed from the ground up.
The vehicle's own charger, the On-Board charger (OBC), is the key to universal charging - and therefore a key component for the future of e-mobility. Fraunhofer IZM has now succeeded in combining some of the latest achievements in the field of power electronics for the next generation of on-board chargers. The result: twice the charging power with half the volume, plus bidirectional and machine-manufactured. A cost-effective solution and a signpost for the shortcut to the future.
Project Panel Power
Molding technology has been established as an encapsulation technology for power modules, but each module is encapsulated in a product-specific, single cavity and all contacts are in one plane, which requires subsequent forming of the signal pins. Fraunhofer IZM is introducing the encapsulation of power modules by compression molding. The process offers the advantage of using a height-flexible molding tool for the simultaneous encapsulation of multiple heterogeneous devices with different widths and/or thicknesses. In addition, less encapsulation material is used as compression molding is a runnerless process.
Project TELEV
The TELEV project (Technological enablement of hybrid-electric propulsion systems for manned aircraft through research into aviation-compatible power electronics, distribution and control) aims to systematically investigate the technologies required to bring such configurations up to the performance level required for aviation. To this end, technologies for aviation-compatible power electronics and distribution as well as control systems were specifically researched. Fraunhofer IZM has focused on the development of an air-cooled drive converter for the rotor of an eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing Vehicle), in particular on the core component, the power modules. The aim is to achieve an efficiency of 99% in order to minimize the battery mass and increase the range.
To achieve this ambitious goal, the focus is on two innovations: firstly, the development of isolated single-chip packages for the power semiconductors and, secondly, the design of a sophisticated air cooling concept based on two spreading mechanisms.
Project
The energy transition is one of the greatest challenges of our time. A key factor for its success is the efficient use of electrical energy, whether in household appliances, industrial plants or electric vehicles. A promising approach to increasing efficiency lies in the further development of power semiconductors, particularly through the use of low-inductance power modules with silicon carbide (SiC) technology.
Project SesiM
AI-assisted self-validation enables real-time prediction of system states in complex electronic systems based on functional parameters. This prevents critical conditions and downtimes, facilitating new business models like the second use of components. By combining classical fault models (white-box) with machine learning methods (black-box) through grey-box modeling, this approach offers resource-efficient implementation without additional sensors using standardized interfaces.
For the industry, this means resource-efficient strategies to assess system condition and remaining useful life during operation. It provides a digital, data-based fingerprint to detect age-related wear and manipulations. Trustworthy compact models can be integrated into digital twins, and remaining useful life becomes a decision criterion for reuse, refurbishment, or recycling.
Fraunhofer IZM introduces a package alternative to commercially available PCB-based Power CSPs: a mold-embedded power die, addressing power electronics packages requirements as good thermal conduction to bottom and also to top; high thermal mass on top for Wide Band Gap short circuit capability and low production cost. Major difference to PCB-based single chip packages is the use of an isotropic isolating material. Furthermore, the top-side interconnects were realized by bulk material instead of common filled Cu vias, enabling the thermal path on top side and also avoiding risky laser drilling process for interconnection between top die pads and top package pads. Prototypes were developed with 1.2 kV Si MOSFETs; layout adaptions to alternative die types is possible.
As part of the European project "HiEFFICIENT," the use of novel and high-performance semiconductors, known as wide-bandgap semiconductors, is being investigated for the next generation of electric vehicles. The project aims to develop an efficient integrated charging unit for electric vehicles with a power of 22 kW.
For on-board chargers in electric vehicles, galvanic isolation between the power supply network and the vehicle battery is required. By using gallium nitride semiconductors (GaN), switching frequencies in the megahertz range can be achieved, allowing for a reduction in volume through smaller magnetic components. For galvanic isolation and voltage transfer, a Sine-Amplitude-Converter (SAC) is used, which has an LLC topology in terms of circuitry.
The conversion of automobiles from conventional combustion engines to electric drives represents an enormous challenge for the automotive industry. In addition to high efficiency and low weight, costs are of particular importance in high unit volumes.
In an on-board charger for electromobility, besides a DC-DC converter that provides galvanic isolation from the HV vehicle grid, there is a so-called power factor correction converter (PFC) used as the interface to the public supply grid. It ensures purely sinusoidal fundamental currents (50/60Hz) on the input side.
A particularly bulky and cost-intensive component here is the PFC inductor, which has to absorb the voltage difference between the voltage in the supply network (230V/50Hz) and the DC voltage in the DC link (800VDC) and at the same time carry the full load current (32A for 3-phase 22kW units).
A new type of inductor for this purpose is being developed as part of the European "HiEFFICIENT" project. Due to the special design with four magnetically coupled windings each on a separate winding leg and the high switching frequency of 140kHz, the windings can be manufactured in a standard PCB process. A low-cost ferrite core with very low core losses can be used as the magnetic core, which can also be produced by machine in large quantities.
Main goals for a Formula 1 power module are highest power density and lowest weight. Volume and weight of presented converter could be reduced by roughly 50 percent compared to previous versions.
This AC-DC-converter for energy recovery, manufactured at Fraunhofer IZM, uses a direct substrate water cooling in order to minimize weight and volume and at the same time to provide a low thermal resistance due to a short thermal path. The surface of the substrate is enlarged by ribbons, which are ultrasonic bonded and reduce thermal resistance. The water duct is made of AlSiC for adapted CTE and the substrates are soldered into its openings. Eight SiC semiconductors in parallel for each switch ensure the required performance according to the KERS requirement; the module consists of three half bridges.
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Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM