Fraunhofer IZM cooperations with external institutes and companies in Germany, Europe and beyond have an indisputably outstanding track record in delivering excellent research results. This was proven yet again at the 14th IEEE Itherm Conference (The Intersociety Conference on Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electronic Systems), a leading forum for thermal design questions, which was held May 27—30, 2014 in Orlando, Florida.

Together with colleagues from France (CEA Liten, Schneider Electric), Belgium (TAIPRO Engineering) and Germany (Technische Universität Chemnitz, Infineon Technologies, AMIC GmbH, Berliner Nanotest & Design GmbH), Fraunhofer IZM’s Charles-Alix Manier and Hermann Oppermann won the Itherm Conference Best Paper Award in the category “Emerging Technologies Track”. First authorship is held by Bernhard Wunderle from the TU Chemnitz. The award was also an acknowledgement of Fraunhofer IZM’s role in this exemplary international joint project as the source of innovative concepts for a holistic approach to design, technology development and testing under industry conditions.

Background

The paper, entitled “Double-Sided Cooling and Transient Thermo-Electrical Management of Silicon on DCB Assemblies for Power Converter Modules: Design, Technology and Test“, discusses the system design, technology and testing of an innovative approach to integrating silicon power chips in thermoelectric coolers and a phase change  thermal buffer. The power chips are used to thermally manage the power transients that frequently present during operation. The cutting-edge design for reliable prediction of thermal performance includes double-sided cooling, innovative materials and interconnection techniques and testing and simulation approaches developed in-house.. This award motivates the further technological developments and integration already undertaken and ongoing in the frame of the EU-funded project “SmartPower”.