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SEEDS/ISP3D is a federation of 130 re-
searchers form French electrical engi-
neering labs. The researchers share a
common but broad topic: integration of
power systems in 3D. Five other research-
er federations exist to work on the soci-
etal challenge of energy: this large group
is untitled SEEDS as for Electrical and
Power Electronic Systems in Societal Envi-
ronment (
).
Research areas
SEEDS/ISP3D group focus many areas re-
lated to integration of power systems. It
starts from materials for magnetic inte-
grated devices, high dielectric ceramics,
powders for alternative brazing of chips in
power module or special fluid for integrat-
ed active cooling. Integration of devices
deals with passive devices (capacitors, in-
ductance, transformer, super-cap, battery
cell), high-voltage wide band-gap devices
and high temperature SOI devices. Func-
tional integration is experimented on sili-
con up to double-face circuits. Efforts con-
cern alternative interconnection solutions
of chips in a 3D manner in a module.
Many results have been obtained on con-
verter architectures that benefit from 3D
integration like magnetically coupled poly-
phase converters. Converter architectures
are experimented to improve safety of ser-
vice and failure-mode operation.
Analyses of failure modes are carried out
on industrial and lab-scale modules to
feed research on lifetime prediction of
assemblies. Tests focus industrial applica-
tions in standard temperature range or
advanced power cores in extended tem-
perature range.
Innovative cooling approaches are pro-
posed within the semiconductor or at
package level. Passive cooling is ad-
dressed as well as active cooling based
on special fluids and motion schemes.
Wide bandgap devices are addressed
for high voltage applications and high-
er ambient temperature. SiC, GaN and
diamond are experimented and differ-
ent levels of integration are considered.
Power devices have been tested be-
tween -75°C to 300°C and more. Devel-
opment of dedicated drivers is hot topic.
CMOS SOI technology has been selected
and various driver test chips have already
been tested from -90°C to 300°C, mainly
in an attempt to exhibit failure modes
apart from functional verification.
Low-power monolithic integration re-
ceives a lot of attention and challeng-
ing system-on-chips have been demon-
strated.
INSA – Institut National des Sciences Appliquées Lyon
Top from right to left: SiC 6.5kV LTThysristor, integrated passive system, 3D super-capacitor cell. Bottom from
right to left: monolithic SiC converter, evaluation of EMC contribution, low power System-on-chip
Map of labs involved in SEEDS/ISP3D group in France
SiC-JFET based inverter for 300°C ambient tempera-
ture operation
