Rohm and Semikron Danfoss sign IGBT partnership
Companies to collaborate on sourcing power modules and IGBTs
Semikron Danfoss and Rohm Semiconductor have been collaborating for more than ten years on using SiC chips inside power modules. Semikron Danfoss has now added Rohm’s new 1200V RGA IGBT to its low power module offering.
There is currently unprecedented demand for power modules. Despite ongoing investments in production capacity by chip manufacturers, the supply situation remains tight. It is against this backdrop that Rohm has introduced the new 1200V RGA IGBT, targeted as an alternative to the latest Generation 7 IGBT devices in industrial applications. Rohm is now expanding their bare die offering to Semikron Danfoss, as an advanced alternative to traditional chip suppliers.
“The RGA is a newly designed, light punch through, trench gate IGBT with Tj,max = 175°C. The conduction, switching, and thermal characteristics are optimized for new industrial drive applications in the low to medium power range. At the same time, the RGA is intended to remain compatible with existing IGBT solutions, enabling a multiple source approach. In addition, the RGA can also be used to improve transient overcurrent handling during overload conditions in motor drive applications,” says Kazuhide Ino, managing executive officer, CFO at Rohm.
Semikron Danfoss can offer the 1200V RGA IGBT in a full range of nominal current classes from 10A to 150A. This range, combined with the suitability of the RGA chip in motor drive applications, means that the MiniSKiiP family is a good choice for module implementation.
The baseplate-less, spring-contact MiniSKiiP is used widely in the motor drive market and always equipped with the latest generation IGBTs. Therefore, it is important for this product to have an alternative IGBT source to diversify the supply chain. The uniform-height MiniSKiiP housing family is also offered on the market as a multiple source package, making an alternative IGBT a valuable option for manufacturers.
For press-fit/solder applications, the industry-standard SEMITOP E package will also be available in pin-compatible configurations to existing Generation 7 IGBT module offerings. This housing family will also offer sixpack (GD) and converter-inverter-brake (DGDL) circuit configurations.
“The power electronics industry continues to recover and learn lessons from the supply issues in recent years. It’s clear that diversification in semiconductor chip and module manufacturing is required to generate true ‘multiple source’ power modules”, says Claus A. Petersen, president, Semikron Danfoss.
“In the case of 1200V Generation 7 IGBTs, a reliable equivalent from a reputable manufacturer is now available to address this issue also in the low power range. The 1200V RGA IGBT from Rohm is a perfect alternative to the Generation 7 IGBT and can be made to behave in a remarkably similar manner with small gate resistor adjustment,” adds Peter Sontheimer, SVP Industry Division and managing director at Semikron Danfoss.
Pictured above: Kazuhide Ino, CFO of Rohm (left) and Claus A. Petersen, president of Semikron Danfoss (right)
