An Intelligent Power Module for High Switching Frequency Applications

To enable washing machines and various small-capacity motor drives to achieve reduced motor noise and consume less power, Mitsubishi Electric has recently announced the coming launch of its SLIMDIP-W, a new high-performance intelligent power module (IPM). 

Mitsubishi Electric pioneered the DIPIPM™ concept and introduced in 1997 the first transfer-molded IPM, integrating IGBTs for a three-phase inverter and low side and high side gate drivers with additional protection functions to offer an optimized and consistently reliable performance while addressing the module’s low-cost requirements. 

The SLIMDIP™ family is the newest through-hole IPM, which offers reduced space and an optimized pin layout. The newly developed SLIMDIP-W module is a high-speed switching optimized version of the SLIMDIP-L module to fulfill the market demand of low audible noise inverters, which require high switching speeds above the audible range of a human. Especially for home appliance products located in the living space, a low noise level is mandatory. For white goods sold in the EU, the EU energy label gives, besides the energy efficiency, the information about the noise level, allowing the customer the easy choice for a silent model. 

Developing the SLIMDIP-W module for high-speed switching required adaption on the chip level. In the tradeoff curve of VCE, sat vs Eoff, a different point is chosen to achieve an optimal loss performance at switching speeds higher than for the SLIMDIP-L with the same current rating and RC-IGBT technology. Additionally, the gate driver was optimized, resulting in faster switching times. Switching power loss is reduced by approx. 35% (Tj=125°C, Io=5Arms, fc=15kHz). Usually, faster switching speeds of the IGBT modules will increase also electromagnetic noise emissions. In this case, due to advanced gate driver adjustments, the EMI could be even improved. 

Important for platform inverters and new design-ins is the fact, that the SLIMDIP-L and SLIMDIP-W are fully pin-compatible. This allows use of the SLIMDIP-W in existing PCBs for the SLIMDIP-L without any modifications if going to higher switching frequencies. Moreover, the thermal impedance of the package for SLIMDIP-W is the same as for SLIMDIP-L. 

The new SLIMDIP-W module is the answer to the market demand for compact and price-sensitive inverters in home appliances and small industrial applications with high switching speeds. Built with Mitsubishi Electric’s long term experience in producing transfer-molded IPMs, high reliability can be achieved.