Case Study: Arkansas Power Electronics International achieves improved thermal management and reduced inductance with COMSOL Multiphysics

Innovative Packaging Design for Electronics in Extreme Environments

Arkansas Power Electronics International faced the challenge of developing compact, robust power‑module packaging for extreme environments and high currents that would improve thermal management and cut parasitic inductance while supporting wide‑bandgap semiconductors (GaN and SiC). To explore geometry and material tradeoffs without costly prototyping, Arkansas Power Electronics International used Comsol’s COMSOL Multiphysics with the LiveLink for SolidWorks add‑on for multiphysics simulation and parametric sweeps.

Using Comsol, APEI optimized die layout, base‑plate and substrate thicknesses, and materials to minimize thermal resistance and current path length; the results included designs with about 25% reduced thermal resistance and roughly half the inductance of the industry‑standard TO package. Measured examples include a SiC package with 0.38 °C/W thermal resistance, 7.83 nH inductance and 225 °C operating capability (TO‑254: 12.98 nH; GaN: 7.5 nH), enabling smaller, lower‑inductance modules suited to high‑power, extreme‑temperature applications.

Arkansas Power Electronics International

Brice McPherson

Lead Engineer