Aiming to attain both energy saving and a comfortable lifestyle, research on new energy-control devices, i.e., system power devices (or high-voltage semiconductors), for enhancing performance of power electronics systems, and research on their control technologies, is advancing. Microcomputers are the brain, while power devices are the heart and will become ever more important as key devices.
Power devices are high-voltage semiconductors for on/off control of voltages from several tens of volts to several kilovolts and currents from several milliamperes to several kiloamperes. They are switching devices like IGBTs and power MOSFETs, and high-voltage ICs, and modules which combine them. They are widely used in inverters for driving motors in trains, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), household appliances, etc., power supplies for PCs, and driver ICs for driving the pixels of flat-screen TVs.
By overviewing whole system and focusing on low-loss, compact, and high-performance devices, we are aiming to create energy-saving products and devices that are easy on the environment.