Status of the Power Module Packaging Industry 2023

Glossary

Report objectives

Scope of the report

About the authors

Companies cited

What we got right, what we got wrong

Who should be interested in this report?

Methodology and definitions

Three-page summary

Executive summary

Market forecasts

• Power modules: what and why?
• Power module market size, in $M
  • Part of EV/HEV in overall power module market – evolution between 2022 and 2028
  • Power module market development, by application
  • 2022-2028 power modules and IPM market share, in $M
• Global power module packaging market
  • 2022 -2028 power module packaging market evolution – split by packaging solution
  • Power module packaging market development, by components
  • Why different power module packaging components have different growth rate?
  • Power module and power module  packaging components - bill of material (BOM) comparison
  • Power module packaging market – interconnections
  • Power module packaging market – encapsulation
  • Power module packaging market – die attach
  • Power module packaging market – substrate attach
  • Power module packaging market – substrates
  • Power module packaging market – baseplates
  • Power module packaging market - thermal interface materials
  • Takeaways

Market trends at different levels

• Main power electronics applications and their drivers
• Market trends – EV
• Market trends – Motor drives
• Market trends – Rail application
• Market trends – EV-DC charging
• Market trends – Photovoltaic
• Market trends  - Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS)
• Market trends  - Wind energy
• Market trends  - Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
• Market trends  - Home appliances

Business model and supply chains Analysis

• Supply chain analysis chapter structure
• Main power module manufacturers – Geographical region
• Power module manufacturers in China
• Equipment manufacturers
• Power module packaging process flow

Power modules business models, evolution and key investments

• Power module markets reshaping
• Discrete power devices vs. power modules
• The impact of Technology trends on supply chain reshaping
• Power module – partnership and M&A
• Design, Back-end and testing capability increases

Power module packaging materials supply chain

• Interconnection - wire and ribbon manufacturers
• Double side cooling modules vs. single side cooling modules
• Key players involved in innovative interconnections.
• Encapsulation: Silicone gel and epoxy molding compound manufacturers
• Die and substrate attach material manufacturers
• Silver / copper sintering paste suppliers
• Ceramic substrate manufacturers
• Ceramic substrate manufacturers - Who supply to whom?
• EV/HEV supply chain reshaping - What impact on substrate market?
• Insulated metal substrate (IMS) suppliers
• IMS supply chain structure with examples of companies
• Baseplate suppliers
• TIM suppliers
• Power module packaging material suppliers – overview
• Power module packaging solutions suppliers - partnership and M&A

Technology trends

• Structure of a conventional power module package
• Packaging as a crucial system element
• Packaging type by inverter power range
• Technology trends for power electronics
• Important design considerations  for power module packaging
• Three main focus for the power module packaging optimization - EXCELLENT vs. GOOD ENOUGH approach in power module packaging

Interconnection technology trends

• Interconnection-technology trends – key message
• Electrical interconnections
• Interconnection-technology trends

Encapsulation technology trends

• Encapsulation methods and materials
• Encapsulant materials comparison
• Benefits of different Encapsulation  approaches
• Encapsulation – technology trends

Die and substrate attach technology trends

• Die attach- technology trends-key message
• Die and substrate attach
• Die attach options in power electronics
• Silver sintering: principle and different technological approaches
• Top-die attach silver sintering technology – Heraeus
• Copper sintering
• Die attach – technology trends

Substrate technology trends

• Substrates -Technology trends
• Substrates
• Si3N4 AMB substrate – the highest performance for automotive
• Toward Greater integration – innovation
• Alternatives to ceramic substrates-- Insulated metal substrate (IMS)
• Alternatives to ceramic substrates- Thick printed copper (TPC) metallization
• Substrates -technology trends’
• Substrates -Technology trends – key message

Baseplate technology trend

• Baseplate
• Direct vs. indirect cooling
• Towards baseplate-less power modules
• Innovations to improve the system performance and reliability
• Technology trends – Baseplate

Thermal interface materials (TIM)

• How do TIMs improve the heat dissipation from power modules?
• Why are TIMs so important for systems with power modules?
• Technology trends – Thermal Interface Material (TIM)

Global trends for Power module packaging

Power modules for various applications

• Package type and requirements, depending on voltage/current range
• Voltage and power summary - by application – as of Q3/2022
• The same module for all applications or dedicated modules?
• Power module Packaging for various applications
• Higher power density needs and their impact on packaging solutions

Power modules for various applications

• Technology trends – electric vehicles
• Main focus on power module package design - EV
• Power modules cooling system  electric vehicles
• Power modules: photovoltaic and industrial application
• Power modules: UPS, motor drives/ industrial
• Power modules: rail
• Power devices – wind
• Power modules – wind
• Home appliance/ industrial (IPM)

Intelligent power modules (IPMs)

• Voltage and current range, semiconductor devices used and applications
• Why are IPMs required?
• Standard power modules vs. intelligent power modules
• Packaging type by power range
• Examples of IPM packaging solutions

Wide band gap packaging

• Wide band gap power module technologies
• Power device positioning as function of power & Frequency
• GaN HEMT and full SiC MOSFET packaging
• Packaging for SiC-related devices
• Impact of SiC dies on choice of packaging materials and supply chain
• Si-IGBT vs. full SiC-MOSFET packaging : Power module - Selection of packaging components depend on application
• Full SiC module packaging main trends
• Full SiC module packaging - Increasing number of module designs over the last years
• Automotive-qualified SiC Module packages
• SiC device technology - Take away
• GaN device technology
• GaN device technology - The packages depends on the levels of power and integration

System integration

• Towards Hybrid (2-in-1, 3-in-1…) solutions
• Towards a higher System integration: electric vehicle
• Different levels of system integration
• Impact on system integration on power module packaging

Conclusion

The cost of raw materials for power module packaging will represent about 28% of total power module cost by 2028.

The power module is one of the key elements in power converters and inverters. The market for power modules will reach $14.8B by 2028, with a 2022 - 2028 compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.8%. By 2028, the power module packaging raw materials market will have a value of almost $4.1B, representing close to 28% of total power module cost. This market’s promising outlook is beneficial for the power module packaging material business, which Yole Intelligence covers in this report.

We look closely at the substrate, baseplate, die-attach, substrate-attach, encapsulation, interconnection, and thermal interface material (TIM) markets in terms of technology, supply chain and market forecasts. In 2022, the largest packaging material segment was for baseplates (25% of total market), followed by substrates (23% of total market). The other 28% of this market is represented by die-attach and substrate-attach materials.

The major technological choices in these segments can rapidly impact the overall power module packaging market. For example, the market share for silicon nitride as a substrate is increasing, driven primarily by EV/HEVs. This technology is pricier than more conventional aluminium oxide substrates.

EV/HEV applications continue to drive the technology trends in power module packaging.

In the past, power packaging technology needs were driven by industrial applications. But today, they are increasingly motivated by electric and hybrid electric vehicles (EV/HEVs). EV/HEV applications continue to drive the technology trends in power module packaging. The comprehensive requirements for power, frequency, efficiency, robustness, reliability, weight, and volume of automotive power modules are often more severe than for industrial products, due to high vehicle safety standards and a harsh environment.  Therefore, the demand for high power density and highly reliable power module packaging materials such as silver sintering paste for die attach and substrate attach, silicon nitride-based ceramic substrate, and copper-based electrical interconnections is increasing.

Today, silicon-based modules are the standard power modules for EV/HEV systems. However, SiC-based power modules are gaining popularity in the automotive market. The introduction of SiC technology pushes the development of new power packaging solutions, since a SiC device can work at higher junction temperatures and higher switching frequencies with smaller die sizes. Power module packaging solutions are moving towards high-performance materials and reducing the number of layers, size, and interfaces while conserving electrical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics.

How will the supply chain be impacted by the evolution of packaging technologies?

The huge business opportunity presented by the power device market is attracting interest from different players in the power electronics and automotive supply chains. With a strong focus on power modules, changes in business models and a reshaping of the supply chain are expected. There are new partnerships and acquisitions within the supply chain, such as the acquisition of Laird by Dupont and the acquisition of Hitachi Metals by Bain Capital. Moreover, EV manufacturers are becoming increasingly involved in the design and manufacturing of power modules. Many Chinese companies are developing power module packaging solutions, and many newcomers are also involved in the development of power module packaging solutions.

Key Features

• Market forecast for power module packaging components
• Supply chain evaluation
• Analyze the changes in business models, synergies with other industries, and opportunities for newcomers in power devices
• Technology trends
• Impact of integration on power module packaging technology
• Power module packaging for wide band gap
• Analyze the key power module packaging requirements for various applications, especially for the EV/HEV application

What's new

• Update on key power module packaging trends
• Focus on SiC and GaN power device packaging
• Deep insight into power module packaging technology trends, forecast, and supply chain
• Focus on power module packaging requirements for various applications
• Focus on EV
• Focus on higher integration

Product objectives

• Provide an overview of the main applications for power devices, along with their market drivers and future trends.
• Discuss the impact of application trends on package design and packaging materials.
• Furnish an analysis of each packaging component, along with forecasts.
• Identify the key technology trends that will shape the power packaging market in the future.
• Give an overview of the power module supply chain, i.e., power modules, packaging components and equipment makers.
• Analyze the changes in business models, synergies with other industries, and opportunities for newcomers in power devices.
• Analyze the key power module packaging requirements for various applications, especially for the EV/HEV application.
• Analyze the impact of integration on power module packaging.

Ametek, Avantor,  Aismalibar, A.L.M.T. Corp., Alpha & Omega Semiconductor, Audi, Amkor, AOS Thermal Compounds, Almatis, Aurel, Arlon, Amulaire, ASM Pacific, AMX, BYD, Boschman, BorgWarner, Bosch, Budatec,  CRRC, CeramTec, CoorsTek, CPS Technology, Coherent, Comelec Sa, Curtiss-Wright, CML Europe,  CHT Group, Dupont, Denka, Dow, Dowa, Elkem, Electrolube, Ferrotec, Fuji Electric, FJ Composite, F&S Bondtec, FEK Delvotec, Heraeus, HALA Contec, Hitachi Energy, Henkel, Hesse Mechatronics, Hirata, Indium Corporation, Infineon, Interplex, Japan Fine Ceramics Co. Ltd., KCC, Kyocera, Kulicke & Soffa, KinWong Electronic, KISCO, Laird, La Chi Enterprise Co. Ltd, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, Momentive, Merck, Maruwa, Muller Ahlhorn, Mitsubishi Electric, MacMic, Nichetech, NGK Insulators, Namics, Nano Join, onsemi, Plansee, Powerex, Parker, Parylene Coating Services, Palomar, Pink, Renesas, ROHM Semiconductor, Rogers Corporation, Shin-Etsu, Suzhou Kary Nanotech, Sumitomo Bakelite Co. Ltd, STMicroelectronics, Semikron Danfoss, Specialty Coating System, Silga, Shengyi Technology, StarPower, Serigroup, Sensitron Semiconductor, Showa Denka,  Silvermicro, Semiland, Texas Instruments, Toyota, Tesla, Tanaka, Tatsuta, Toshiba, Ultrasonic Engineering Co., Ltd, Wacker, Wieland, Würth Elektronik, Vincotech, Ventec, and more.