Smart power in MOS technologies-an overview

This paper firstly addresses smart power, discussing application areas and representative examples. An overview of the present status of technologies which are used in smart power is then presented. Functions used to enable the smart performance of power ICs is also addressed. Topics considered to be a challenge, requiring further research efforts, are discussed. Finally, the capabilities of a standard low-cost CMOS technology, extended far beyond its usual limits and perspectives of further innovation to be used for smart power implementation, targeted to low or medium power applications, are also reported in this paper.