This section provides an overview for igbt modules as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 14 igbt module manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked igbt module companies as of November, 2024: 1.Silan Microelectronics, 2.Powersem GmbH, 3.C&H Technology, Inc..
Table of Contents
An IGBT module is a highly integrated module that combines multiple IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors) into a single module.
IGBTs were invented in Japan in the late Showa period (1926-1989) by combining the advantages of the conventionally used base current control type bipolar transistor and the gate voltage control type field-effect transistor (FET), whose weaknesses were improved, with device structures and process innovations.
Initially called insulated gate bipolar transistors, they were later called IGBTs, an acronym for "insulated gate bipolar transistors."
Although today it is called power electronics technology, IGBTs were then a special world technology for specialists only that had not seen the light of day very often. However, the use of IGBT Modules, which are stored inside inverter air conditioners and other electrical appliances, has expanded dramatically, especially in high-power products, due to the use of inverters (energy saving through power conversion technology) and the use of compact, high-efficiency modules for components.
Today, it is a well-known fact that IGBTs and their modules are commonly used in products that require large amounts of power.
The IGBT is an epoch-making power semiconductor created in Japan that uses a conventional bipolar transistor structure for the parts where large current flows, and switches the base part, which is the control part of the bipolar transistor, to a FET gate circuit structure (previously used only in signal circuits for weak power systems, and capable of high-speed control with low loss). This is a revolutionary power semiconductor created by Japan. The IGBT Module is a compact and highly functional module that contains multiple IGBTs, including diodes for protection circuits and ICs for driving circuits.
IGBTs also exist as discrete components, and it is possible to build a circuit similar to that of a module using discrete components. However, when a circuit is built as a single item, the board size is generally twice or more the size of a module, and there are concerns about the possibility of signal delays, instability, and other malfunctions due to the wiring patterns on the board, which can cause many problems for the user.
In contrast, modularization allows high-density wiring and reliability through improved heat dissipation, making it relatively easy for users to use IGBTs in their own products. This is the biggest advantage of using IGBT Modules instead of IGBTs alone.
As a practical example of an IGBT module, let us illustrate a module containing six IGBTs that drive a mainstream brushless motor. The module is characterized by the fact that the module package is filled with insulating material, and the wiring inside the module is as short and thick as possible to reduce electrical losses.
A heat sink is also added to the module to enable operation of the IGBTs with clearly lower losses and higher heat dissipation than when mounted on a board as a single unit. Thus, the modularization of IGBTs enables both high-efficiency operation and downsizing of equipment, compared to the use of single components (discrete).
IGBT modules are now also called IPMs (Intelligent Power Modules), which contain high-voltage drivers that used to be external to the
IGBTs, and the technological innovation is still ongoing. In order to improve the performance and functionality of conventional modules that integrate multiple IGBTs in a single package, IGBT modules are often called IPMs, which integrate IGBT-specific driver ICs and various protection circuit ICs for overcurrent and overheat protection together with the IGBTs, as well as compact and heat-dissipating measures.
IPM is a field in which Japan, the creator of IGBTs, is leading the world as a technology in which it excels. The field of power electronics using new semiconductor materials such as SiC and GaN, which are wide band gap semiconductors, has been booming in recent years, and there is a movement to replace IGBTs on Si substrates with SiC-MOSFETs and GaN-FETs, which have superior characteristics, as in the electric vehicle field, such as EVs. There is also a movement to replace IGBTs on Si substrates with SiC-MOSFETs and GaN-FETs, which have superior characteristics.
However, these new semiconductor material substrates are still not as good as Si substrates in terms of wafer size, cost, and manufacturing capacity, so for the time being, devices and modules will continue to be separated for product applications.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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C&H Technology was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. The company is a privately held sales and marketing company specializing in power semiconductors and electronic components commonly used in heavy industrial applications such as welding, aluminum, waste treatment, industrial motor control, and solar inverters. The company partners with manufacturers such as Hitachi, ABB, Mitsubishi Electric, and Powerex. Some of the products the company offers include assemblies, bridge rectifiers, heat sinks, and MOSFET modules.
Applied Power Systems, Inc. (APS) was founded in 196 and headquartered in Hicksville, New York. Applied Power Systems is a power electronics company specializing in power conversion systems and thermal management of high power semiconductors. APS offers a large selection of high power thermal management products. These products include standard and custom aluminum extrusion heat sinks for natural convection and forced air-cooling. Cast and machined copper chill plates for liquid cooling. State of the art clamps for flat pack or hockey puck semiconductors. APS also offers driver circuit boards to drive SCR, IGBT and MOSFET devices.
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (Vishay) was incorporated in 1962 and is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The company serves the industrial, automotive, telecommunications, consumer products, and medical end markets and sells its products under numerous brand names inlcuding Siliconix, Draloric, Beyschlag, UltraSource, and Applied Thin-Film Products. The company manufactures and sells discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components in globally while operating in six market segments: MOSFETs, diodes, optoelectronic components, resistors, inductors, and capacitors.
Littlefuse was founded in 1927 and headquartered in the United States. Littlefuse is a diversified industrial technology manufacturing company with customers globally. Littlefuse has products segments which are electronic, industrial, and transportation. Electronic segment products include fuses and fuse accessories, positive temperature coefficient resettable fuses, polymer electrostatic discharge suppressors, and varistors. Transportation products include blade, resettable, and high-current and high-voltage fuses, as well as battery cable protectors; fuses, switches, relays, circuit breakers, and power distribution modules. The Industrial segment offerings include contactors, transformers, and temperature sensors for use in renewable energy and energy storage systems, electric vehicle infrastructure, HVAC systems.
Yangzhou Yangjie Electronic Technology Co. Ltd has been a manufacturer of semiconductors headquartered in China since 2000. The company designs and manufactures Rectifier devices, modules, automotive electronics, protection devices, and various switches and diodes for small signals. There are also ICs, Mosfet, SiCs, and Wafer in 4-inch and 6-inch types for various applications. Their products have uses in industries related to automotive electronics, industrial control, power supply, home appliances, and other similar fields.
Powersem, established in 1985 and headquartered in Schwabach, Germany, is a manufacturer and supplier of power semiconductor modules for diverse applications. Its offerings encompass single and three-phase bridge rectifiers for AC to DC conversion, thyristor modules for current control in AC circuits, IGBT and MOSFET modules for power switching and amplification in DC circuits. These solutions cater to industrial drives, welding, battery chargers, renewable energy, and more. All products are UL Recognized Component Mark for product safety.
Mitsubishi Electric was established in Japan in 1921 and headquartered in Tokyo. The company’s Semiconductors & Devices division is a manufacturer of products serving several industries ranging from home appliances and automotive to renewable energy and optical fiber communication. The company’s products are divided into 4 product segments: power devices, high-frequency devices, optical devices, and infrared sensors. Power devices encompass motion controls, most home appliances, and SiC applications. High-frequency devices include satellite communications systems, radios, and base transceiver stations. Optical devices include projector light sources and optical fiber communication. Infrared sensing systems include MeIDIR thermal sensors.
Silan Microelectronics Co., Ltd., founded in 1997 in China, is a manufacturer of semiconductor microelectronics-related products for commercial, industrial, and military clients. The company's products include ICs, power modules, discrete devices, MCU/IC power semiconductor solutions, MEMS sensors, and optoelectronic products. Silan Microelectronics Co., Ltd. also specializes in LED chip manufacturing and packaging for indoor and outdoor LED display panels as well as LED illumination applications. The company was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2003.
Dynex Semiconductor Ltd., founded in 1959 with headquarters in the UK, is a manufacturer of high-power bipolar capsule devices, IGBT modules, and power assemblies. The company's range of products includes IGBT modules with power cycling, bipolar thyristors, phase control thyristors, rectifier diodes, power assemblies used in hydrogen production, personal devices, railway maintenance, and numerous electronic devices used by the semiconductor, automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, and telecommunication industries, among many more. Dynex Semiconductor Ltd. also offers customized production services that include consultation, design, engineering, and high-volume production.
Hitachi Power Semiconductor Device, Ltd., established in 2013, is a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of semiconductor components and application equipment headquartered in Ibaraki, Japan. The company’s product portfolio includes IGBT/SIC, high-voltage monolithic ICs, and diodes used in automotive, industry, railway, and consumer field applications. Their diode product portfolio includes zener, surge suppressor, alternator, general-use rectifier, and high-voltage diodes. They offer high-voltage monolithic ICs including high-voltage analog switches, single-chip inverter ICs, and IGBT/power MOSFET driver ICs.
Cissoid, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Walloon Region, is a manufacturer of high temperature semiconductors. They deliver standard products and custom solutions for power management, power conversion and signal conditioning in extreme temperature and harsh environments. Their solutions range from system-on-chip to complete SiC and GaN based inverter platforms to support an ever-growing range of e-mobility and high-power applications. The company has been supplying products to leaders in the Oil & Gas, aeronautic, Industrial and automotive markets.
SEMIKRON Dafoss is a power electronics manufacturer formed by the 2022 combination of SEMIKRON and Danfoss Silicon Power. The goods include semiconductor components, power modules, stacks, and discrete systems, including chips, diones, and thyristors used in automotive, industrial, and renewable energy applications. Heatsinks, fans, and thermal interface materials are examples of accessories. The business operates production facilities with certifications like ISO 9001:2015, EMAS, and Letter of Conformity 2022 in Brazil, Germany, Italy, India, and the United States.
PROTON-ELECTROTEX, established in 1996 in Orel, Russia, is a manufacturer and supplier of power semiconductor devices and modules. The company's product range comprises IGBT modules, MOSFET (SiC) modules, THYRISTOR/DIODE MODULES, diodes, and thyristors. These products play crucial roles in electric drives, mining transportation, induction heating and melting, and welding equipment. They predominantly serve industries like electric transportation, power generation, mining, and industrial manufacturing. In addition to its core manufacturing, the company provides specialties in power electronics, power semiconductors, IGBT, and power stacks.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | Silan Microelectronics |
13.8%
|
2 | Powersem GmbH |
12.7%
|
3 | C&H Technology, Inc. |
11.4%
|
4 | Applied Power Systems, Inc. |
7.9%
|
5 | Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., |
7.5%
|
6 | Littelfuse, Inc |
7.0%
|
7 | Semikron Danfoss |
6.8%
|
8 | Dynex Semiconductor Ltd |
6.4%
|
9 | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation |
5.9%
|
10 | Cissoid |
5.4%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the igbt module page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 4 | 33.3% |
China | 2 | 16.7% |
Japan | 2 | 16.7% |
Germany | 1 | 8.3% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 8.3% |
Belgium | 1 | 8.3% |
Switzerland | 1 | 8.3% |
11 products are listed.