Impact of dielectric isolation technology on power ICs - Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, 1991. ISPSD '91., Proceedings of the 3rd International Sympos

Dielectric isolation(D1) is superior method for integrating any kinds of devices in a single chip. The success of a high voltage telecommunication IC. called SLIC, advanced the technology of D I . The next driving force will be high voltage and relatively large current power I C s , integrating a small power system unit into a single chip. This siuall scaled version of "system on chip" ICs will fully utilize advantages of the DI method, operated at a high temperature when installed inside such instruments as motors or -lamps. This will realize simplified and small sized power systems or apparatus. Research efforts for a low cost D I method will be led by SO1 technology using several micron thick or less silicon layers. This will simplify the device isolation and even attain high voltages. I nt roduct ion VLSI technology has advanced so greatly that even GilMbit DRAMS have become a reality. Power systems and the related,circuits cannot be outside the influence of VLSI technology[l]. It would be quite strange for power systems alone to still continue to consume a large space while brains become smaller and smaller. Integration of power systems into a single silicon chip will be a reality within the next decade. instigated by the needs for display drivers and high voltage telecommunication circuits. Efforts to achieve high voltage lateral MOSFETs started in the early 70's and 800V lateral MOSFET[2]. using RESURF concept and DMOS(DSA[3]) technology. was developed for display drivers in 1976, before the RESURF concept was fully established[4]. The development of high voltage SLICs advanced the dielectric isolation technique[5-7] because it required electrically floating bidirectional switches, which were difficult to be realized by the conventional junction isolation technique. isolation will be discussed, and an attempt will be made to highlight the directions of D I research. Early work on power integrated circuits was In this paper, impacts and advantages of dielectric