Compact models for accurate thermal characterization of electronic parts

This paper discusses several aspects regarding the derivation, accuracy, applicability, and possible future developments in the field of "compact models." A "compact model" is a simplification of a full or detailed thermal model of an electronic package. As such, it consists of a simple network comprising a limited number of thermal resistances (typically 7), connecting the critical part of the device (usually the junction) to the outer parts of the device. Furthermore, the "compact model" is independent of the applied boundary conditions, and is an accurate representation of the full model. It is found that the compact models values typically approach the full model values within 6%. Compact models are suited for embedding in design environments in use by the electronics industries, because they can be incorporated into the component libraries linked to board and system level thermal analysis software packages.