Safe-Operation-Area Extended IGBT Module With Enhanced Near-Junction Thermal Capacitance and Advanced Cooling for Transient High-Current Operation

With the growing integration of renewable energy sources, grid-connected converters are expected to provide overcurrent (OC) capability similar to those of synchronous generators. To address this challenge, we propose a power module that incorporates both enhanced near-junction thermal capacitance (NJTC) and exceptional cooling capacity. The module utilizes copper blocks as top-side interconnects, substantially enhancing NJTC and enabling dual thermal paths. Concurrently, it integrates a substrate-embedded manifold microchannel (MMC) heatsink to achieve ultra-low thermal resistance. Using the simulation-optimized structural parameters of the NJTC and MMC heat sink, a 1200V/100A IGBT half-bridge power module with reliable connections is fabricated through silver sintering technology. Experimental validation demonstrates that the proposed module achieves a 50% higher steady-state current-carrying capacity than the pin-fin module at identical junction temperatures. Under OC conditions, the module operates stably for 3.33 s at 3 p.u. (per unit) with 1000 W heat dissipation per IGBT. At 2.5 p.u., it sustains safe operation over extended periods, outperforming the pin-fin module by a factor of ten. The heat extraction of different mechanisms during OC conditions is quantitatively analyzed through simulation. Double-pulse test results indicate that the proposed module exhibits a parasitic inductance of 25.91 nH, including the parasitics of the test circuit, which is slightly lower than that of typical wire-bonded modules. The demonstrated safe-operation-area (SOA) extension makes this packaging approach highly promising for future high-reliability, high-performance grid-connected converter systems.