New silicone gel enabling high temperature stability for next generation of power modules

Abstract:
The power electronics industry is continuously seeking for higher operating temperature of power devices and modules, in order to increase the current density and decrease the cooling requirements in power systems. This is driven by the market trends, together with the emergence of new technologies allowing higher temperature of operation (such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride-based devices). The higher temperature of devices implies that the packaging materials (housing and encapsulant materials) also need to follow the same trend. As a leader in the silicone industry, Dow Corning developed encapsulant solutions for power modules to meet the industry requirements: soft and though silicone gels have been formulated in order to sustain a continuous temperature of 200deg C. The integrity of the gel in terms of hardness, dielectric strength and adhesion to commonly used substrates is presented in this paper.