PCIM Europe

Exhibition / May 06, 2025 - May 08, 2025

Fraunhofer IZM presents power highlights at PCIM Europe 2025

PCIM Europe

https://pcim.mesago.com/events/de.html

Booth 300/ Hall 5

PCIM Europe, the leading trade fair and conference for power electronics, will be held in Nuremberg from 6 - 8 May 2025.

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.

Expert talk

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Hoene Fraunhofer-Institut für Zuverlässigkeit und Mikrointegration IZM — © MIKA-fotografie | Berlin

»Automotive 750kW constant power inverter in 3l«

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Eckart Hoene

Date: May 8, 2025

12:55 p.m. - 01:15 p.m.

Location: E-Mobility & Energy Storage Stage (Hall 6/220)

Designing an automotive traction inverter with highest power density requires in deep investigation of thermal behavior and optimizing it. In this presentation an implementation will be shown, which compromises power modules based on embedding technology on ceramic as well as capacitors using polyacrylate dielectric. The geometric implementation allows to cool the capacitor with the same cooling duct as the semiconductors, which is necessary due to the capacitor´s higher dielectric losses. The DC link bus bar is implemented as PCB, a comprehensive simulation of current flow directions and ohmic losses ensures the thermal stability. The deep insight into all design aspects shall trigger inspiration of new ideas for the attending engineers.

Boosting Efficiency and Power Density in E-Mobility: The »Dauerpower« Inverter Solution

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.

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Compact Design, Big Impact: The Future of EV Charging

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.

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Development of Compression Molding Process for Encapsulation of Power Modules

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.

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Power Panel — © Fraunhofer IZM | Volker Mai

Motor inverter development for Urban Air Mobility applications

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.

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Explosionsdarstellung des Umrichteraufbaus mit Leistungsmodul- und Treiber-/Controllerleiterplatte — © Fraunhofer IZM

Energy transition: Increasing efficiency with low-inductance power modules

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.

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Modul_2-chip_with_Si_Caps-web — © Fraunhofer IZM

AI-assisted self-validation

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.

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Platine - SesiM Projekt — © Fraunhofer IZM

Reliable Single Chip Package

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.

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Sine-Amplitude-Converter (SAC) for e-mobility on-board charger

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.

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PFC inductor for an on-board charger used in e-mobility

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.

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Power module for Formula 1 with substrate water cooling

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.

mORE info

Exponate - Messe - Leistungsmodul mit Substrat-Wasserkühlung — © Fraunhofer IZM

SiC Modul

Advantages / characteristics

General issues

Ultra compact design for simple system integration
Integrated inverter for unshielded ultra short motor cables
One common cooling circuit for motor and inverter

Inverter issues

Peak Power of 255 kVA (for <1s)
24 SiCMOSFETs
High performance switching cells with very low Lσ= 1.7 nH
Ultra fast switching speeds for lowest switching losses
6 phases for redundant e-machines
6 integrated phase shunt current sensors (for each phase)
12 integrated PTC temperature sensors (for each switch)
Ultra fast short-circuit current detector
Integrated EMC filter
High temperature application up to 175°C junction temperature

more info

Exponat - Messe - Leistungsmodul — © Fraunhofer IZM

This might also be of interest to you

System design for power electronics

The (energy) efficiency of power-consuming products, from switched-mode power supplies, to electric and hybrid cars and railway traction drives, through to large industrial drives, is crucial. All of the latter technologies areas and more rely on power electronics, and each makes individual demands on the system, which have to be taken into account during the circuit design and layout.

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Packaging for power electronics

Besides die attach soldering and Al heavy wire bonding, new packaging concepts are pursued to built power electronics systems which shall provide improved thermal performance and higher reliability. By replacing the wire bond with an area contact on both sides of the chips the thermal performance can be improved.

more info

Test and reliability for power electronics

Apart from ensuring the best possible thermal system design, understanding thermomechanical behavior on package, component and module levels is critical for ensuring overall system reliability. Thermally and thermo-mechanically induced failure mechanisms can lead to premature failure and limit lifetime.

more info

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Events

Exhibition / May 06, 2025 - May 08, 2025

Fraunhofer IZM presents power highlights at PCIM Europe 2025

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Expert talk

»Automotive 750kW constant power inverter in 3l«

Boosting Efficiency and Power Density in E-Mobility: The »Dauerpower« Inverter Solution

Compact Design, Big Impact: The Future of EV Charging

Development of Compression Molding Process for Encapsulation of Power Modules

Motor inverter development for Urban Air Mobility applications

Energy transition: Increasing efficiency with low-inductance power modules

AI-assisted self-validation

Reliable Single Chip Package

Sine-Amplitude-Converter (SAC) for e-mobility on-board charger

PFC inductor for an on-board charger used in e-mobility

Power module for Formula 1 with substrate water cooling

SiC Modul

This might also be of interest to you

System design for power electronics

Packaging for power electronics

Test and reliability for power electronics

Tech News

Events

Trainings &
workshops

Stay in contact!

Event review

Contact Press / Media

Georg Weigelt

Exhibition / May 06, 2025 - May 08, 2025

Fraunhofer IZM presents power highlights at PCIM Europe 2025

Expert talk

»Automotive 750kW constant power inverter in 3l«

Boosting Efficiency and Power Density in E-Mobility: The »Dauerpower« Inverter Solution

Compact Design, Big Impact: The Future of EV Charging

Development of Compression Molding Process for Encapsulation of Power Modules

Motor inverter development for Urban Air Mobility applications

Energy transition: Increasing efficiency with low-inductance power modules

AI-assisted self-validation

Reliable Single Chip Package

Sine-Amplitude-Converter (SAC) for e-mobility on-board charger

PFC inductor for an on-board charger used in e-mobility

Power module for Formula 1 with substrate water cooling

SiC Modul

This might also be of interest to you

System design for power electronics

Packaging for power electronics

Test and reliability for power electronics

Tech News

Events

Trainings & workshops

Stay in contact!

Event review

Trainings &
workshops