IGBT has various packaging forms, which can be mainly divided into the following categories based on factors such as power level, application scenario, heat dissipation requirements, and integration degree. Each packaging has its unique structure and application positioning:
Discrete Packages
Features: Single tube design, low power (usually<100A), simple structure, and low cost.
Common types:
TO247/TO3P: Classic high-power three pin package with built-in metal heat sink (collector on the back), suitable for medium power applications such as motor drives and UPS.
TO220: A smaller three pin package with lower power capability than TO247, commonly used in low-power switching power supplies and household appliances.
TO263/D ² PAK: Surface mount type, heat dissipation mainly through PCB, power between TO220 and TO247.
Application: Small and medium power frequency converters, household appliances, consumer electronics, industrial auxiliary power supplies.
Power Modules Packaging
Features: Integrating multiple IGBT chips, freewheeling diodes (FWD), driver, protection circuits, etc. into an insulated housing to achieve high power density, high integration, and simplified system design. This is the mainstream packaging form in the medium to high power field.
Core structure:
Insulated substrate: DBC (Direct Bonded Copper) or AMB (Active Metal Brazing) ceramic substrates (such as Al ₂ O ∝, AlN, Si ∝ N ₄) are commonly used to achieve electrical insulation and good thermal conductivity between the chip and the substrate.
Chip interconnection: Traditional methods use solder and wire bonding; Advanced packaging uses copper wire bonding, Clip Bonding (copper strips/sheets), or sintering silver technology to enhance current carrying capacity and reliability.
Shell and terminals: Plastic shell with high current copper terminals (screw terminals or crimping terminals).
Heat dissipation base plate: mostly made of copper, used for installing heat sinks.
Main types:
Standard industrial modules (such as EconoDUAL) ™， EconoPIM ™）：
Topology integration including half bridge, six unit (six tube), PIM (rectification+braking+inversion), CIB (rectification+inversion+braking), etc.
Wide power range (from tens of amperes to thousands of amperes), with voltage levels mainly ranging from 600V to 1700V.
Widely used in industrial frequency converters, servo drives, and new energy generation (photovoltaic inverters, wind power converters).
IPM Intelligent Power Module:
Highly integrated: In addition to IGBT/FWD chips, there are built-in driver circuits (HVIC/LVIC), protection functions (short circuit, over temperature, under voltage), and bootstrap circuits.
Interface simplification: Users only need to provide low-voltage logic control signals.
Advantages: Simplified design, high reliability, compact size.
Applications: Variable frequency household appliances (air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines), low-power industrial frequency converters, servo drives.
Automotive grade modules (such as HP Drive, HybridPACK) ™）：
Strict requirements: Meet automotive standards such as AECQ101/AQG324, high power density, high reliability, low stray inductance, strong vibration/temperature cycling tolerance.
Advanced technology: widely using sintered silver chip mounting, copper wire/aluminum strip bonding Clip Bonding、 Double sided cooling, etc.
Topology: Half bridge, six tube, power integration module (including Boost/Buck).
Application: Electric vehicle main drive inverter, OBC (on-board charger), DCDC converter.
Pressure Pack:
Unique structure: IGBT chip and diode chip are sandwiched between two electrodes (usually molybdenum or copper) without solder, maintaining contact through external pressure.
Advantages: Failure short circuit mode (avoiding explosion), strong double-sided heat dissipation ability, good impact/vibration resistance, long lifespan.
Disadvantages: Complex structure, high cost, and more complex driver circuit design (voltage equalization needs to be considered).
Applications: Ultra high voltage (3.3kV, 4.5kV, 6.5kV and above), ultra-high current HVDC (high-voltage direct current transmission), high-power locomotive traction, industrial ultra-high power converters.
Special topology/integration module:
NPC (midpoint clamp) and ANPC (active NPC) modules: used for three-level topology.
PIM+(integrates more functions such as pre charging and current detection).
SiC hybrid module: IGBT combined with SiC MOSFET/SBD.
Advanced packaging modules (such as. XT/XHP) ™ / SiPLIT ™）：
Technological innovation: adopting a baseless design (direct heat sink installation), double-sided cooling (DSC), sintering technology, planar interconnection (replacing bonding wires), etc.
Goal: To maximize power density, reduce thermal resistance, optimize stray parameters, improve reliability and lifespan.
Applications: high-end industrial drives, new energy vehicles (especially those pursuing high power density and efficiency), renewable energy.
Plastic sealed pinless/small-sized module
Features: Located between discrete devices and traditional modules, it adopts surface mount or simple installation.
Common types:
I4PAK/L4PAK: Compact modular packaging with higher power than discrete TO devices.
QDPAK/QGPAK: Surface mount power module.
Application: Medium power compact applications, such as industrial automation and communication power supplies.
Key elements of packaging selection
Power level (current/voltage)
Requirements for heat dissipation capacity and thermal resistance
Integration requirements (discrete, half bridge, full bridge, intelligent module)
Application environment (temperature, humidity, vibration, industrial/automotive/home appliances)
Reliability requirements and life expectancy
System volume and weight limitations (power density)
Cost budget
Complexity of driver and control interfaces
Summary: IGBT packaging technology continues to evolve from simple discrete devices to highly integrated intelligent modules and advanced crimping/double-sided cooling modules. Standard industrial modules (such as the Econo series) and IPM are the main force in the general field, while automotive grade modules (such as HP Drive) meet the stringent requirements of automotive regulations. Pressure Pack packaging dominates the ultra-high voltage field Advanced packaging such as XT represents the future direction of high power density and reliability. Choosing the appropriate packaging is key to optimizing system performance, reliability, cost, and volume. The core of packaging technology has always revolved around four major goals: improving power density, reducing thermal resistance, enhancing reliability, and simplifying system design.