IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics

Due to their superior material properties, wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors enable the application of power electronics at higher temperature operation, higher frequencies and higher efficiencies compared to silicon (Si). However, the commonly-used aluminum wire bonding as topside interconnection technology prevents WBG semiconductors from reaching their full potential, due to inherent parasitic inductances, large size, heat dissipation and reliability issues of wire bonding technology. Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive review of topside interconnection technologies of WBG semiconductor power devices and modules. First, the challenges and driving factors for the interconnection of WBG semiconductors are discussed. Second, for each widely commercially used WBG semiconductor, <i>i.e.</i> silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), technical details and innovative features of state-of-the-art interconnection techniques in packages are reviewed. Then, the majority of existing topside interconnection materials for WBG semiconductors are categorized and compared, followed by a discussion of their advantages, challenges and failure modes. Based on this elaborate discussion, potential future directions of the interconnection technology development are given. It is concluded that superior performance of WBG semiconductors can be obtained by combining novel materials with innovative designs for the topside interconnections.

Review of Topside Interconnections for Wide Bandgap Power Semiconductor Packaging