PE International 2027 Presentation Abstracts

• Marco StorckTDK

As AI data centers continue to scale in power density and power demand, conventional power systems will reach their limits. Solid-state transformers (SSTs) are one cornerstone for the next generation of AI power infrastructure. The lecture will explore: How SST architectures are reshaping AI data center power distribution The role of advanced power electronics in enabling compact and efficient medium-voltage conversion Challenges in magnetics, EMC, high-voltage switching, and system stability How TDK technologies support next-generation AI infrastructure architecture

• Jens BaringhausBOSCH

Silicon carbide has moved from a premium option to a mainstream choice for electric vehicle traction inverters and onboard charging, but the next phase of adoption will be shaped as much by system requirements as by device performance. As a semiconductor manufacturer, Tier 1 supplier and vehicle-facing business, Bosch sees the full chain from wafer to drivetrain. This keynote will review recent advances in SiC power semiconductors and gate drive, and examine how they are being shaped by the demands of 800 V architectures, higher power density, efficiency targets and cost pressure. It will consider where SiC delivers the greatest value at system level, how gate driver design influences performance and reliability, and what manufacturers must address to support volume vehicle programmes. The talk will close with a view on where wide bandgap technologies go next in automotive, and what that means for industrial power electronics.

• Aleksei CherkasovInfineon

With silicon, SiC and GaN each offering distinct advantages, choosing the right technology increasingly depends on the system rather than the device alone. This talk will explore how performance, reliability, power density and total system cost shape that decision, drawing on a supplier perspective that spans all three technologies.

• Wolfgang HoefeKERAFOL

Top-side-cooled (TSC) power packages shorten the heat path from junction to heat sink, lowering thermal resistance and giving designers more freedom in heat-sink placement and packaging density. This places more of the burden on the thermal interface material (TIM), which must combine low thermal resistance with reliable electrical insulation for 800 V systems, compensate for height tolerances and suit automated high-volume processing. A representative TSC setup with eight SiC MOSFETs was first investigated by thermal simulation, comparing concepts ranging from single-layer gap filler liquids and a silicone gap pad to hybrid gap filler and insulating film stacks, as well as an AlN ceramic with thermal paste. The simulation gives a clear thermal ranking, but no single concept wins on every criterion, and absolute temperatures depend heavily on parameters a model can only approximate, such as contact resistance, voids, surface roughness, assembly tolerances and clamping force. This contribution closes that gap. Together with Infineon, selected concepts are built into a real top-side-cooled SiC MOSFET application and characterised under defined operating conditions, with measured temperatures and thermal resistances compared directly against the simulation results to show where the models are reliable and where hardware effects dominate. The talk concludes with practical guidance for selecting TSC TIM concepts based on insulation requirement, gap and tolerance situation, process capability, reliability and cost, and derives calibrated design margins for using simulation in early concept phases.