Enhanced Implementation of Converter Building-Blocks: High-Voltage Switching Cell Prototypes with Chip-Embedding Technology

After two years of intensive research and development, individual High-Voltage Switching Cells have been successfully manufactured and tested. This achievement follows significant efforts in several key areas: selecting and characterizing 750V SiC MOSFETs, developing advanced interconnection techniques for SiC bare-dies (including topside copper metallization and backside silver sintering), and creating detailed schematics in WP3.

High-voltage switching cell. The SiC power MOSFETs are inside the multilayer PCB structure, the primary control components in SMD format are soldered on the PCB topside. The thermal management is based on a liquid cooling system developed around an additive manufacturing heat-exchanger coupled to the switching-cell board.

The designs, which were supported by exhaustive multiphysics simulations (encompassing electrical, mechanical, and thermal aspects), were primarily developed in WP4.
A standout feature of these switching cells is their implementation using the chip-embedding technology from Schweizer Electronic AG, which aligns well with the modular and scalable concepts proposed in the SCAPE project. The design and characterization efforts were chiefly carried out at IMB-CNM (CSIC) and Deep Concept labs.

Two high-voltage switching cells combined in a test converter used for the first electrical and functional characterization tasks. Their operation has been successfully tested at the nominal operation rates (400V – 50A).