Smart power

Abstract

It is argued that thanks to the development of new power technologies, the separate paths taken by power semiconductors and small signal ICs are converging onto a single discipline: smart power. Integrating high power and high voltage devices plus control circuits on a single chip, smart power ICs bring substantial reduction in cost and enhanced reliability. Moreover, they render feasible solutions that would have been too costly when realized with conventional components. Several different technological approaches to smart power have been explored, but all such technologies share the same basic concept of merging different stcuctures on the same chip, taking advantage of the similarities in processing techniques. Smart power technologies can be classified in a number of ways, the first of which is the isolation technique used: dielectric, junction or self isolation. A further way to classify smart power processes regards the current flow in the power devices. Another fundamental distinction between smart power processes is the nature of the power elements. Two options are available: bipolar and DMOS. Smart power devices can also be divided into single-chip types and single package types.