Industry Summary Articles

Mentor Graphics Corporation today announced that it has joined the Wide Band Gap integration (WBGi) power electronics consortium to participate in thermal management and power cycling initiatives. The WBGi Consortium, established in 2013 by Professors Katsuaki Suganuma and Tsuyoshi Fuaki of Osaka University in Japan, assembles academics and industrialists worldwide to leverage the possibilities of wide-bandgap technology and its challenges. Wideband-gap semiconductors are comprised of materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium arsenide (GaN), enabling devices to operate at much higher voltages, frequencies and temperatures than conventional silicon materials.

Mentor Graphics is already an active member of the US-based Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES) and European Centre for Power Electronics Consortium (ECPE). This is the third power electronics consortium that Mentor Graphics has joined, offering its expertise in the field and proven technologies to advance the power and performance of semiconductors, IGBTs, MOSFETS, and other devices.

“We are glad that Mentor Graphics is joining WBGi. One of the key issues for SiC- and Ga- based power electronics is thermal dissipation” said Katsuaki Suganuma, professor at the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research at Osaka University. “Mentor’s T3Ster® transient thermal tester hardware is the most advanced technology in its field and can contribute to understanding what is going on in WBG semiconductors. There are standards for power LEDs already and we believe that MicReD® technology in the Mentor Graphics Power Tester can help in developing power cycling standards for WBG power electronics.”

The WBGi Consortium is addressing all aspects of packaging and reliability in the next generation of power electronics with 34 industrial company members, and several work groups, workshops, and meetings in place. The WBGi is also involved with the ECPE in Europe, U.S. and Asian partner organizations to establish itself as a global consortium.

“Being a member of the WBGi Consortium in Japan is extremely valuable and important to us and the semiconductor industry,” stated Roland Feldhinkel, general manager of Mentor Graphics Mechanical Analysis Division. “Our proven technologies and our team of researchers, educators and scientists are eager to contribute to WBGi’s initiatives and working groups. Our collaboration with the WGBi and its members can help result in tremendous advancements for the power electronics systems industry worldwide.”

To view the original press release, please click here.

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