Advances in power electronic devices

The development of new silicon-based power devices will remain important for decades to come thanks to many significant applications. Silicon power semiconductors (thyristors, IGBTs, CoolMOS/sup TM/) will benefit immediately from advances in silicon microelectronics. These include: an improved understanding of and greater precision in individual fabrication processes; a continued reduction in defect density; larger wafer diameters; and a wide diversity of topologies, e.g., in trench IGBTs. These developments lead to ongoing improvements in quality and reliability and a continuous reduction in the cost of chip manufacture.