Robust top side contact technology on power semiconductors - results from the public funded project `propower'

Copper-wire-bonding as a power semiconductor top-side contact technology has an extraordinarily high potential for power cycling capability. Basing on this fatigue endurable perspective for power electronic modules, the German public funded project `ProPower′ examines the chances and limitations of this technology all over the supply chain - especially with focus on automotive applications. The meaning and impact for electrified powertrain will be worked out, as well as the meaning and impact for power electronics auxiliaries e.g. Electrical Power Steering. Therefore both semiconductor base-types, high-voltage blocking IGBT (600 V) and low-voltage blocking (40 V) MOSFET, are evaluated for the use in combination with copperbonding technology. Within the project consortium a special metallization route for adjusting the top side surface of power semiconductors is implemented. The wafer supply is provided by the partner and device manufacturer Infineon, a special top side post processing copper-deposition - including the optimization of the strain profile of the fragile chip system - is done by the partner Siemens and testing sample and demonstrator build-up is performed by the partners Bosch and Danfoss.