Infineon introduces the innovative H-PSOF package for automotive electronics

     Infineon Technologies AG has introduced an innovative packaging technology that delivers greater current tolerance and efficiency for demanding automotive electronics applications such as pure electric and hybrid vehicles. The new TO package complies with the JEDEC standard H-PSOF (heat-dissipating plastic small shape flat lead). The first products to be introduced in the H-PSOF package technology are 40V OptiMOS™ T2 power transistors with drain currents up to 300A and on-resistance (RDS(on) as low as 0.76 milliohms.

     Higher performance power electronics help automotive system designers meet higher mandatory vehicle fuel efficiency standards while meeting demanding overall emissions requirements. To meet these standards, power MOSFETs with current tolerances of more than 200A and on-resistance of less than 1 milliohm are required to reduce transmission losses and improve overall efficiency. To date, the automotive market has not introduced MOSFETs that meet these needs.

     With the introduction of the H-PSOF package technology, Infineon has set a new milestone, offering 40V power MOSFETs with drain currents up to 300A and on-resistance as low as 0.76 milliohm. In addition, the H-PSOF package is smaller and lower in height than the standard D2PAK package (TO-263) typically used for similar automotive applications. The H-PSOF package is about 20% smaller in area than the current D2PAK and almost half as tall.

     Jochen Hanebeck, President of the Automotive Electronics Division at Infineon Technologies AG, said: "By developing the innovative H-PSOF package, combined with its deep automotive systems expertise, Infineon has further strengthened its technological leadership in the automotive and power electronics sectors. "This new package for high-current MOSFETs will enable our automotive systems supplier customers to design automotive electronics with greater energy efficiency and reliability to meet their fuel consumption and emissions needs."

     The H-PSOF package helps automotive electronics manufacturers better serve the high-current application market. These applications include battery management for hybrid electric vehicles, electric power steering (EPS), automotive generators, and other high-load applications that improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. Us market research firm Strategy Analytics pointed out in a recently released research report that a rapidly growing application area is automotive EPS and start-stop systems. The market is expected to grow from 47 million units in 2011 to more than 110 million units by 2016, representing a compound annual growth rate of about 19 percent.

     The main goal of developing the H-PSOF package was to reduce the package resistance and further improve the current tolerance of the package on the basis of the D2PAK with high current tolerance.

     The H-PSOF package also offers assembly and manufacturing advantages. Its special design ensures good weldability for reliable welding. In addition, assembly and manufacturing plants can control welding leads with automated optical inspection (AOI) equipment, which is a common part of surface mount process (SMT) production lines.

     The first product in the H-PSOF package is the IPLU300N04S4-R7, a member of Infineon's 40V OptiMOS T2 automotive class power transistor product family. The family is a global benchmark for energy efficiency, CO2 reduction and electric drive applications. The continuous drain current (ID) of the IPLU300N04S4-R7 is 300A and the on-resistance (RDS(on)) is 0.76mΩ. Infineon's devices in the H-PSOF package comply with the AEC-Q101 standard. The company also plans to introduce more 40V and 30V automotive-grade MOSFETs in the H-PSOF package.