Manage episode 519236750 series 2935206
Power electronics are quietly rewriting the rules of energy use—from the range of your EV to the efficiency of a hyperscale data center. Françoise sits down with Henkel’s Ram Trichur to unpack what’s driving the $67.5B surge in power semiconductors and why the move to wide bandgap materials like silicon carbide and gallium nitride is such a big deal.
We break down the real differences between logic and power devices, then dive into where innovation is happening right now: die attach materials, thermal pathways, and manufacturing processes that can keep up with higher power densities. Ram explains why traditional wirebond packaging remains dominant in power, even as modules climb from 400 V to 800 V and beyond. You’ll learn how the industry is moving from solder to silver sintering for performance, and why copper-based sintering may be the breakthrough that balances cost, reliability, and manufacturability.
From discrete devices to full power modules, we explore the challenges of thinner die, copper leadframes, backside metallization compatibility, and bond line control. Ram shares Henkel’s roadmap for pressure-assisted copper sintering at lower temperatures and pressures in nitrogen, the multi-year qualification path customers expect, and how early sampling shortens time to scale. If you care about EV range, charger efficiency, industrial uptime, or greener data centers, this conversation connects the dots between materials science, packaging engineering, and system-level performance.
If you enjoyed this deep dive, follow the show, share it with a colleague who cares about SiC and GaN, and leave a quick review to help others find us. Got a question or a hot take on copper vs. silver sintering? Drop us a note and join the conversation.
Henke's advanced materials elevate semiconductor packaging to meet power, performance, area and cost
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Chapters
1. Setting The Stage: Power Electronics (00:00:00)
2. Defining Power Semis Versus Electronics (00:02:32)
3. Why Demand Is Exploding (00:06:10)
4. Wide Bandgap Advantages And Tradeoffs (00:09:20)
5. Packaging Priorities In Power Devices (00:12:10)
6. Discretes Vs Modules: Challenges (00:15:10)
7. From Solder To Sintering (00:19:20)
8. Cost Pressures And Silver Alternatives (00:22:15)
9. Copper Sintering: Process And Proof (00:25:00)
10. Roadmaps, Qualification, And Scale (00:28:00)
11. Partnering With Customers Globally (00:31:00)
182 episodes