Development of advanced power modules for electric vehicle applications

This paper discusses the manufacturing aspects for Insulated-Metal-Substrates (IMSs) with respect to high thermal conductive prepregs used and the Cu/prepreg/Cu stacks selected for each power application in the project. The IMS heat spreaders serve as high-current PCBs and heat dissipation routes for double side cooling of the Embedded power cores. The interconnection of the embedded power cores to the IMS high-current PCBs/heat spreaders is realised by silver sintering at the copper pads metallised by Ni/Au. The sintering technology is being developed and has yielded sinter deposits of 35-52βm with single or double printing. Sintering takes place at a reduced pressure of 30 bar, which is actually the needed lamination pressure. The whole stack then is a power module with double side cooling.