Product category:
Discrete Power Devices
News Release from: NXP Semiconductors | Subject: Sub-1mohm MOSFET
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 24 November 2003
MOSFET features submilliohm on-state
resistance
A new sub-1mohm MOSFET demonstrates a significant reduction of approximately 40% in on-state resistance for MOSFETs compared with conventionally packaged products.
Philips has developed the world's first sub-1mohm mosfet This device demonstrates a significant reduction of approximately 40% in on-state resistance for mosfets compared with conventionally packaged products
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 23 Oct 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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By reaching extremely low levels of on resistance, designers can better manage power distribution, reduce board space and improve electrical efficiency within their systems.
Philips has broken new ground in the field of mosfet technology in the race to offer the lowest on-resistance of 1mohm in a TO220-type package.
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The achievement was realised primarily due to the use of copper clip technology where Philips is leading the industry.
A significant advantage of using a copper plate is the low on-state resistance for applications where power loss and heat dissipation are critical, such as computer motherboards.
Low on-state resistance is also an important feature for automotive applications where ever-higher currents need to be switched with minimum power loss.
Normally mosfets are connected to the top of a chip by using a weld where the wire bond would go.
With copper clips, instead of connecting to a single point, the entire surface of the chip is connected, improving current distribution and thermal properties.
Mosfets in LFPAK for example, realise practical circuit improvement over similar type packages, a direct result of the findings made through the submilliohm development.
"As the number of portable electronics continues to grow, the need for power management devices with greater functionality, performance, and reliability will be required", said Manuel Frade, Vice President and General Manager of Philips Semiconductors' Power Management Business Line.
"Philips continues to find new methods to improve chips to ensure that the industry can meet customer system requirements.
These technology developments are being deployed in commercially available devices including mosfets in LFPAK and our P-channel uTrenchMOS devices, which are used in a wide range of applications including mobile phone, notebook computers, desktops and servers, as well as high-frequency applications".
To break the submilliohm barrier, a whole host of factors had to be overcome.
Silicon with low enough resistance had to be manufactured using Philips' patented self-aligned process.
In addition, solderable top metallisation for the silicon was necessary to accommodate the copper clip process.
Careful design of the copper clip and development of the leadframe were needed to ensure good control of the clip position and a good assembly process.
As a result, Philips was able to take the best available silicon technology and packaging technology, optimise it and meet the target of less than 1mohm.
This achievement builds on Philips' recent announcement of LFPAK and P-channel mosfets which implement several of the technology advancements discovered during the development of the submilliohm mosfet.
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