Infineon EiceDRIVER Gate Driver 1EDI3020AS

The IGBT market is expected to grow with a 6.8% CAGR 2020 – 2026, reaching $8B by 2026. This growth, coupled with the need for high-reliability systems, requires an enhancement of all the components within a system, including the gate driver.

Indeed, IGBT gate drivers integrate a low-voltage circuit with microcontroller and a high-voltage circuit with the IGBT gate driver ICs. It is necessary to insulate the two parts of the circuit to get safety systems for components above 600V, as requirements are becoming stricter, which is pushing for galvanic isolation. Historically, optocouplers were the best solution to galvanically isolate the circuit.  But lately, more robust and smaller galvanic isolation is needed, pushed by the higher reliability, higher switching frequencies, and lower-size end-system requirements. Therefore, almost all gate driver manufacturers now integrate capacitors or transformers into the gate driver circuit to reach the galvanic isolation. Other solutions have been developed, including with SOI substrate, allowing to obtain an isolation of up to 600V or 1200V. However, this results in a quite expensive product, even though going up to 8000V galvanic isolation is necessary. Infineon has developed a galvanic isolation with two specific metal layers above the high-voltage die. The two dies are connected only by the coreless transformer.

This full reverse costing study has been conducted to provide insights on technology data, manufacturing cost, and selling price of the 1EDI3020AS Driver from Infineon. This solution allows for high reliability at an affordable cost.

The 1EDI3020AS is an IGBT gate driver designed and manufactured by Infineon. It is a 1-channel IGBT gate driver for high-side or low-side switches. The two dies are manufactured with the last BCD technology: 90nm from Infineon. Only one of the dies uses deep-trench isolation while the other integrates a sixth metal layer to create the second coil of the galvanic transformer and edge isolation. The driver die drives an IGBT die with a Vt of 15V but can increase up to 30V and a current of up to 15A.

This full teardown includes a package analysis and connection between the two silicon dies through the coreless transformer and details the smartpower dies. High-resolution SEM images reveal Infineon’s BCD 90nm process technology. The cost analysis includes an estimation of the wafer cost, die cost, and component cost of the 1EDI3020AS IGBT gate driver.

   

Overview/Introduction

• Executive Summary
• Reverse Costing Methodology

PMIC Market

Company Profile              

Physical Analysis   

• Summary of the Physical Analysis
• Physical Analysis Methodology
• Package
  • Package Views
  • Package Overview
  • Package Opening
• Die 1
  • View & Dimensions
  • Delayering
  • Identification of Main Blocks
  • Process: Transistors, Memories
  • Cross-Section
  • Process Characteristics
• Die 2
  • View & Dimensions
  • Delayering
  • Identification of Main Blocks
  • Process: Transistors, Memories
  • Cross-Section
  • Process Characteristics

Manufacturing Process 

• Global Overview
• Front-End Process
• Wafer Fabrication Unit
• Back-End 0 Process

Cost Analysis     

• Synthesis of the Cost Analysis
• Yields Explanation & Hypotheses
• Die 1
  • Front-End Cost
  • Wafer & Die Cost
• Die 2
  • Front-End Cost
  • Wafer & Die Cost
• Package
• Component Cost

Component Price

Complete teardown with:

• Detailed Optical and SEM photos
• Precise measurements
• Materials analysis
• Manufacturing process flow
• Supply chain evaluation
• Manufacturing cost analysis
• Price estimation