Transient thermal impedance considerations in power semiconductor applications

Cost-effective thermal design in power switching applications must consider the effect of thermal impedance of the packaging. A test method is presented for determining the transient thermal impedance of a package. Empirical measurements of the thermal impedance of some standard plastic packages, showing the effective thermal impedance under pulsed conditions, are also given. As an example of a practical application of the data presented, an application for switching motor control is considered. >