IGBT Packaging Overview

IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) is a composite    full-controlled voltage-driven power semiconductor device combining the high    input impedance of MOSFETs with the low conduction voltage drop of BJTs.    IGBT packaging integrates IGBT chips, anti-parallel diodes, and auxiliary    components to achieve electrical interconnection, mechanical support,    heat dissipation, and environmental protection.

Major Package Types

Discrete IGBT Packages

  • TO-220 / TO-220FP: Through-hole, low-power switching circuits.
  • TO-247 / TO-247-4: Through-hole, medium-power industrial applications. The TO-247-4 adds a Kelvin emitter pin to reduce gate loop parasitic inductance.
  • TO-247PLUS: Through-hole, high-power industrial applications up to 120 A rated current in the same footprint as TO-247-3.
  • TO-263 (D²PAK): Surface-mount, medium-power SMD applications.

Wire-Bonded IGBT Modules

The most mainstream packaging style for high-voltage, high-power-density    applications. Modules contain multiple IGBT chips and anti-parallel FRD    chips, configured as half-bridge or full-bridge topologies. Typical series    include Infineon's EconoPACK, EconoDUAL, PrimePACK, and IHM/IHV.

Press-Pack IGBT

Uses double-sided pressure contact without wire bonds or solder joints,    eliminating bond wire lift-off and solder fatigue. Features high power    density, double-sided cooling, and ease of series connection. Suitable for    HVDC, FACTS, and rail traction applications. The global press-pack IGBT    module market was approximately US$383 million in 2024, projected to reach    US$603 million by 2031.

Intelligent Power Module (IPM)

Integrates IGBTs/MOSFETs, driver circuits, and protection circuits in a    single module, optimized for easy use. Widely applied in home appliance    inverters, industrial motor drives, and compact inverters.

Key Technologies

  • Silver Sintering: Replaces traditional solder with high-conductivity nanosilver paste, significantly improving power cycling lifetime.
  • Double-Sided Cooling: Dissipates heat from both sides of the chip, reducing thermal resistance to as low as 0.121 K/W for indirect-cooling DSC Si-IGBT modules.
  • Copper Wire Bonding & Copper Clip Interconnection: Higher current capability and fatigue resistance compared to aluminum wire bonds.
  • Direct Bonded Copper (DBC) Substrates: Provide electrical isolation and thermal conduction between chips and the baseplate.

Applications

  • Electric Vehicles: Traction inverters, electric compressors, HV heaters.
  • Industrial Equipment: Motor drives, compressors, UPS systems.
  • Rail Transit: Traction converters, auxiliary power systems.
  • Renewable Energy: PV inverters, wind power converters.
  • Power Transmission: HVDC, FACTS.

Development Trends

  • Double-sided cooling with direct liquid cooling integration.
  • Silver sintering and copper interconnection replacing solder and aluminum wire bonds.
  • Top-side cooling SMD packages (e.g., QDPAK) for high power density applications.
  • Coexistence of SiC and IGBT: SiC for high-power traction, IGBT for medium-power auxiliary and industrial applications.
  • Increased integration and intelligence through IPM and smart power modules.