High voltage IC technology: Continuously evolving challenges

Power electronics is experiencing record growth and rapid evolution to support the driving forces of Internet of Things, automotive active safety, electric vehicles, cloud computing and alternative energy generation. A key enabler for this growth is the High Voltage IC (HVIC) which is required to manage the operation of 200-1200V semiconductor devices. Additionally the technology must adapt to the new requirements imposed by wide bandgap semiconductors (WBGS) such as GaN and SiC which are in the early stages of adoption. This evolution can only be supported through the development of new device architectures, adoption of new materials, packaging and design methodology. This paper seeks to share the challenges and insights into HVIC evolution.