LeistungsICs

LeistungsICs, or power integrated circuits, are devices that integrate both the control circuitry and the power handling elements required to manage electrical power in a single chip or package. They are designed to perform functions such as conversion, regulation, switching, and motor control, often with high efficiency and reduced component count compared with discrete power electronics.

Power ICs cover a range of architectures, including switching regulators (buck, boost, buck-boost), linear regulators, motor driver ICs, isolated and non-isolated DC-DC converters, and gate drivers. Some devices integrate one or more high-current power transistors (MOSFETs or IGBTs) with control logic, while others function as controllers that drive external power devices. They may be monolithic (power devices and control on a single die) or multi-die in a single package and can be designed as complete PMICs for system power management.

Packaging and thermal management are important considerations because power ICs carry significant current and dissipate heat. Common form factors include DFN, QFN, or power-package options designed for heat spreading and reliability in automotive, industrial, or consumer equipment.

Applications span automotive powertrains and infotainment, consumer adapters and chargers, industrial motor drives, solar inverters, and data-center power supplies. Design considerations include efficiency, thermal performance, protection features (short-circuit, overcurrent, overtemperature), electromagnetic compatibility, and safety/compliance standards (UL, IEC, AEC-Q automotive). The field is evolving with wide-bandgap devices (GaN, SiC) and increasingly integrated solutions that reduce BOMs and improve performance.