Trends and Issues in BCD Smart Power Technologies

This paper reviews the diff erent issues that . are . behind the trend 'of Smart Power technology to converge to technology platfonns common to advanced CMOS processes, driven by the need to integrate more complex functions onto the same chip. The last BCD (!}jpolar, CMOS, DMOS) generations are discussed to present how the conflicting demands of VLSI and the peculiar aspects of power functions integration are reconciled on the same process technology platform. Examples of possible realizations in the fi eld of VLSI Smart Power ICs, called Super Smart Power, are also proposed.