IGBT package design for high power aircraft electronic systems

This paper will discuss the design of semiconductor packages having integrated air cooled heatsinks for use in high power electronic systems. It will demonstrate how simple models of the heat transfer from the heatsink fins, which are based on empirical correlations, may be utilised in combination with either simple analytical models or two dimensional finite difference (FD) models of the heat conduction from the semiconductor die through the multilayer package structure to the base of the fins. These models allow the rapid evaluation of performance under both steady state and transient overload conditions, and can be used to rapidly explore a wide range of design options before selecting candidate layouts for more detailed evaluation using, for example, 3D FD analysis. Wind tunnel experiments, which will also be reported, have been carried out to verify the modelling results for different semiconductor device layouts. These trials demonstrate excellent agreement between the models and experimental results.