New Industry Products

Renesas Introduces Power Semiconductor Devices Capable of Reducing Mounting Area by Half

September 21, 2010 by Jeff Shepard

Renesas Electronics Corp. announced the development of the RJK0222DNS and RJK0223DNS, two power semiconductor devices with ultra-compact packages for use in dc-dc converters that provide power to the CPU, memory, and other circuit blocks of products such as servers and notebook PCs.

The new power semiconductor products each integrate a pair of power MOSFETs into a single package, enabling designs of dc-dc converters that are more compact with higher mounting density. The compact, low-loss 11th-generation power MOSFETs, fabricated using an advanced process, (1) are contained in an ultra-compact package measuring only 3.2 x 4.8 x 0.8mm (max.), making it possible to reduce the mounting area by about half compared with previous Renesas Electronics power MOSFET products, and (2) deliver efficiency of 95.2%, the top level in the industry according to the company, which contributes to reduced power consumption.

A pair of power MOSFETs used for voltage conversion is mounted on Renesas Electronics’ ultra-compact package (package code HWSON3046) with a mounting area of 3.2 x 4.8mm. The mounting area is about half that of Renesas Electronics’ existing package of 5.1mm x 6.1mm (package code WPAK), making it possible to design dc-dc converters that are more compact and have a higher mounting density.

At a switching frequency of 300kHz, the Renesas Electronics 11th-generation low-loss power MOSFETs achieve a maximum efficiency of 95.2% (input voltage: 12V, output voltage: 3.3V), which is at the top level in the industry and contributes to improved overall power supply efficiency.

Within the pair of power MOSFETs used for voltage conversion, the one used for synchronous rectification (low-side) incorporates an on-chip Schottky barrier diode. During the dc-dc converter’s dead time, the faster current switching time from the power MOSFET to the Schottky barrier diode reduces power loss. In addition, it effectively suppresses the spike voltage when the power MOSFET switches on, reducing the electromagnetic noise.

Like Renesas Electronics’ existing WPAK package, the new HWSON3046 package is said to provide excellent heat radiation and has a die pad on the bottom of the device that allows heat to pass to the printed wiring board while the power MOSFET is operating, enabling the power MOSFET to handle large currents.

Samples of Renesas Electronics’ new power MOSFETs are currently available with pricing for each starting at US$0.55 per unit. Mass production is scheduled to begin in December 2010 and is expected to reach a combined volume of two million units per month after July 2011.