Editing Power semiconductor device (section)

===Packaging===

The role of packaging is to:
* connect a die to the external circuit.
* provide a way to remove the heat generated by the device.
* protect the die from the external environment (moisture, dust, etc.).

Many of the reliability issues of a power device are either related to excessive temperature or fatigue due to thermal cycling. Research is currently carried out on the following topics:
* Cooling performance.
* Resistance to thermal cycling by closely matching the [[Coefficient of thermal expansion]] of the packaging to that of the silicon.
* The maximum [[operating temperature]] of the packaging material.

Research is also ongoing on electrical issues such as reducing the parasitic inductance of packaging; this inductance limits the operating frequency, because it generates losses during commutation.

A low-voltage MOSFET is also limited by the parasitic resistance of its package, as its intrinsic on-state resistance is as low as one or two milliohms.

Some of the most common type of power semiconductor packages include the TO-220, TO-247, TO-262, TO-3, D<sup>2</sup>Pak, etc.