Power Circuit Integration Team
The Power Circuit Integration Team conducts research and development of discrete packages, power modules, modules with built-in high heat-resistant components, and circuit technology (main circuit technology and gate circuit technology) for the widespread use of wide-gap semiconductors in society.
Team's research agenda or results, etc.
①Research on power module technology for high-speed and high-temperature operation
We are researching high-speed and high-temperature operation power module technology that cannot be achieved with Si. 100A-class power modules utilizing 1kV SiC power devices have achieved high-speed switching operation of 70V/ns at 250°C, 600V, and 100A turn-off waveform.
②Research on the technology of aircraft electric motor feeding system
We are conducting research on high power density power conversion system technology for aircraft. We have developed a prototype 25kW evaluation model of an aircraft electric motor power supply system that consists of a converter and inverter using the 1kV-class power module technology developed in (1) above, and have confirmed that it achieves a conversion efficiency of 98.7% and a power-to-weight conversion density of 15.9kW/kg. The model achieved a conversion efficiency of 98.7% and a power-to-weight conversion density of 15.9 kW/kg.
③Research on mounting technology for monolithic SiC power ICs
We are researching the mounting technology of monolithic SiC power ICs with SiC CMOS gate buffers on vertical SiC MOSFETs. We have succeeded in the world's first switching operation of a power module with a monolithic SiC power IC.
Proprietary technology
- Discrete package, power module assembly
- Reliability Tests
- electrical testing
- Thermal evaluation (transient thermal evaluation, lock-in thermography)
- Thermal, fluid, mechanical and electrical simulations
Priority Research
- High heat resistance and high speed power module
- High Voltage Package
- Reliability Technology
- Fast Switching Evaluation Technology
- Power Circuit Technology
Major Patents and Publications
- “H.Tanisawa，F. Kato，S. Sato, K. Watanabe, H. Takahashi, Y. Murakami, H. Sato, “Transient thermal characteristics of high-temperature SiC power module enhanced with Al-bump technology”, Jpn. J. Appl Phys. Vol.57, 04FR10，2018.
- F. Kato, S. Sato, H. Tanisawa, K. Koui, K. Watanabe, Y. Murakami, H. Yamaguchi and H. Sato, “Thermal Resistance Evaluation of a Low-Inductance Double-Stacked SiN-AMC Substrate for a High-Temperature Operation SiC Power Module”, ECS Trans. Vol.86 107-112, 2018.
- K. Koui, F. Kato, H. Tanisawa, S. Sato, Y. Murakami, and H. Sato, “Study of Baseplate Materials for High-Temperature Operation of SiC Power Modules”, ECS Trans. Vol.86 99-105, 2018.
- S. Sato, F. Kato, H. Tanisawa, K. Koui, K. Watanabe, Y. Murakami, H. Sato, H. Yamaguchi, “Development of High Temperature Operation SiC Power Module”, ECS Trans. Vol.86 83-90, 2018.
- F. Kato, R. Shimanjorang, FQ. Lang, H. Nakagawa, H. Yamaguchi, and H. Sato, “250 °C-Operated sandwich-structured all-SiC power module”, Jpn. J. Appl Phys.Vol.54, 04DP06，2015.
- Shinji Sato, Fumiki Kato, Hiroshi Hozoji, Atsushi Yao, Kinuyo Watanabe, Hiroshi Sato, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, “Pulse-Width-Control Method of Voltage-Source 3-Phase Inverter to Reduce Common-Mode Voltage”, (Selected and English Translation Paper of IEEJ Trans. IA), IEEJ Journal of Industry Applications, Vol. 11, no.3, pp. 546-554 (2022), DOI https://doi.org/10.1541/ieejjia.21006145
- Shinji Sato, Fumiki Kato, Hiroshi Hozoji, Hiroshi Sato, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Shinsuke Harada, “High-Temperature Operating Characteristics of Inverter Using SWITCH-MOS”, Material Science Forum , Vol.1004, pp.1115-1122 (2020)
- Atsushi Yao, Fumiki Kato and Hiroshi Sato, “Iron loss and hysteresis properties of nanocrystalline magnetic materials under high frequency inverter excitation” Journal of the Magnetics Society of Japan, Vol. 44, No. 6, pp.129-132 (2020)
- Atsushi Yao, Fumiki Kato, Hiroshi Hozoji, Shinsuke Harada, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, and Hiroshi Sato, “Iron loss evaluation of magnetic materials excited by a SiC inverter with a Schottky barrier diode wall-integrated trench MOSFET” AIP Advances, Vol. 10, No. 12, pp. 125129-1-5 (2020)
- Atsushi Yao, Mitsuo Okamoto, Fumiki Kato, Hiroshi Hozoji, Shinji Sato, Shinsuke Harada, and Hiroshi Sato, “High-speed switching operation for a SiC CMOS and power module” IEICE Electronics Express (ELEX), Vol. 18, No. 14, pp. 1-5 (2021)
- Shinji Sato, Daiki Yamaguchi, Atsushi Yao, Hiroshi Sato, “Control apparatus and control method for three-phase inverter”, Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-006322 (in Japanese)
- Shinji Sato, Fumiki Kato, Hiroshi Hozoji, Atsushi Yao, Hiroshi Sato, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, “PWM generation method and apparatus , and power converter having the apparatus”, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2022-083030 (in Japanese)
