Silicon-on-insulator technology for high-temperature, smart-power applications

The motivation to develop high-temperature resistant smart-power products and the impact of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology are discussed. The electrical and thermal behaviour of devices on SOI-substrates is illustrated, with examples, showing that smart-power integrated circuits can be designed for operation at chip temperatures up to 200 °C allowing the use of low-cost packaging techniques at ambient temperatures up to 130 °C. Some reliability issues limiting a broader application of smart power devices at high temperature at the present time are also considered.