Semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics has revealed that it is supplying silicon carbide (SiC) technology for the eMPack electric vehicle (EV) power modules from Semikron, a global manufacturer of power modules and systems.
This is the result of a four-year technical collaboration between the two companies to design-in ST’s advanced SiC power semiconductors. SiC is quickly becoming the automotive industry’s preferred power technology for EV traction drives, contributing to greater driving range and reliability. Semikron recently announced it had secured a billion-euro contract to supply its innovative eMPack power modules to a major German car maker, beginning in 2025.
“ST’s industry-leading SiC device-manufacturing capabilities and in-depth expertise with the technology enabled us to integrate these cutting-edge semiconductors with our advanced manufacturing processes, which enhance reliability, power density and scalability to meet the needs of the automotive industry,” said Karl-Heinz Gaubatz, Semikron CEO and CTO. “As we now move toward volume-production, our collaboration with ST brings the assurance of a robust supply chain that gives control over quality and delivery performance.”
ST’s third-generation SiC technology is stated to deliver excellent process stability and performance. Engineers from ST and Semikron cooperated to integrate the advanced STPower SiC MOSFETs, which control power switching in the main EV traction inverter, with Semikron’s innovative fully sintered Direct Pressed Die (DPD) assembly process.
DPD enhances module performance and reliability and enables cost-effective power and voltage scaling. Leveraging the parameters of ST’s SiC MOSFETs, supplied as bare dice, Semikron has established 750V and 1,200V eMPack platforms, addressing applications from 100kW to 750kW and battery systems from 400V to 800V.