ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights performance achievements of the silicon-based IGBT technology and the intelligent power modules (IPMs) family for power electronics applications. It also discusses on future prospects related to the IGBT chip technology and more advanced fields, such as WBG- material-based power devices and trends toward higher levels of functionality integration over the IPM platform. The chapter discusses application of the former for practical power module productization. Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS)-gated device concepts have played a primary role in driving the growth of power semiconductors since the late 1980s, thanks to the revolutionary achievements of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and intelligent power modules (IPMs) through several generations of refinements. The IGBT is widespread use among power modules for high- voltage and high-current applications because the device has well- balanced direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) losses with an easy-to-drive feature by virtue of its MOS-gate structural feature.
