SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I project is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of an electronic packaging technology for manufacturing power electronics modules that are critical for electrical energy processing in a wide range of systems, such as hybrid or electric vehicles, renewable energy generators, and the power grid. Recent advances in power semiconductor devices and substrate technology require packaging schemes which optimize the performance of each component for further increases in reliability, density, and high-temperature performance. The best route for meeting this need is to explore three dimensional package architectures which have previously been a barrier for manufacturing using solder techniques. This project will build on the commercialization success of a nanomaterial technology for device interconnection, to develop and implement an innovative three dimensional package architecture which can be force cooled equally well from both sides. The nanomaterial, which already boasts significant increases in thermal and electrical conductivity, is known to provide high reliability and high temperature joints for device interconnection. In addition, processing requirements can be tailored to significantly simplify fabrication of architectures which are difficult to create using existing solder and epoxy connection schemes. Utilizing the processing benefits of the nanomaterial die attachment, the specific technical objectives are: (1) development of a manufacturable process with the nanomaterial for fabricating the planar power modules; (2) testing of the modules under applied continuous current; and (3) evaluation of the module reliability under temperature/power cycling tests and (4) characterization of failure mechanisms. The double-side cooled planar power module technology enabled by the nanomaterial would lead to a highly competitive product in the market place.

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project would strengthen United States? manufacturing base in the field of power electronics. Power electronics modules are the central processing units for electrical energy conversion and are crucial to the nation?s economy and security. Energy applications, specifically those that provide independence from petroleum, require more efficient conversion of electrical power, and demand for reliability and sustainability of the nation?s power infrastructure requires an increasingly greater number of electrical conversions. Currently, the market of power electronics modules is dominated by products made in Europe and Asia. Successful commercialization of the technology developed in this project would usher in a competitive US manufacturer of power modules to the growing power electronics market. The success would further strengthen commercialization effort of the nanomaterial product developed under a NSF STTR program and directly translate to economic growth for Southwest Virginia. Success of this program would also serve as a good educational and business model for transferring fundamental knowledge developed under NSF?s support into the commercial world. It would present students an ideal case study to experience technological and economical impacts of their research activities.