What are the applications of automotive semiconductors? — SUNMATE

Automotive semiconductors can be divided into five categories: power devices, sensors, processors ASSP (mainly connectivity and amplifier), logic and others. The most used semiconductor products in automobiles are sensors, MCU and power semiconductor respectively. MCU accounts for the highest proportion, followed by power semiconductor. Power semiconductor is mainly used in power control system, lighting system, fuel injection and chassis safety system.

In traditional vehicles, power semiconductors are mainly used in the fields of startup, power generation and safety. High voltage circuits are widely used in new energy vehicles. When the battery outputs high voltage, frequent voltage changes are required, and the demand for voltage conversion circuits is increased. In addition, a large number of DC-AC inverters, transformers, converters, etc. are also required Semiconductor devices such as diodes are in great demand.

According to Infineon's statistics, the average value of semiconductor devices used by a traditional fuel vehicle is $355, while the value of semiconductor devices used by pure electric vehicles / hybrid vehicles is $695, almost doubling. Among them, the increase of power devices is the most significant. The power semiconductor devices of power system used by a traditional fuel vehicle are US $17, while the value of power semiconductor devices on a pure electric vehicle / hybrid vehicle is US $265, an increase of nearly 15 times.

IGBT has excellent properties such as high frequency, high voltage, high current and easy switching. As the core high-voltage control switch assembly, the cost of IGBT module accounts for 40-50% of the cost of motor controller, about 7-10% of the cost of new energy vehicle, and 20-30% of the raw material cost of DC charging pile is IGBT.

At present, China's IGBT industry has been able to have a certain industrial chain synergy. For example, in terms of design, there are zhongkejunxin, Xi'an Xinpai, etc. in terms of manufacturing, SMIC international, China Resources Shanghua, Shanghai advanced, Huahong, etc. the module links include CRRC Xi'an Yongdian, aiparker, Nanjing Yinmao, etc. IDM manufacturers include BYD, CRRC era, etc. However, 90% of China's IGBT chips are still imported, and high-end products are basically monopolized by European, American and Japanese enterprises, such as Infineon, Mitsubishi, Fuji Electric, Toshiba, abb, etc.

Foreign IGBT technology started earlier and has built high barriers in equipment, materials, chip design and wafer manufacturing. The main process equipment, substrate chips and even high-end chips of domestic IGBT chips must be purchased from abroad. At the packaging level, the power density, heat dissipation performance, reliability and module design of domestic products also seriously lag behind international IGBT manufacturers.