Integrated Magnetic Assembly Field Plates for High-Voltage Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High electric fields within the isolation barrier of integrated electronic devices can lead to premature failures, and increasing the thickness of the core layer to reduce electric fields results in a larger device size, which is undesirable for applications requiring small form factor and high voltage isolation.
Innovation Solution
A magnetic assembly with a multilevel lamination or metallization structure that includes conductive field plates positioned between capacitor plates and a core layer, which mitigates high electric fields without increasing the device size by reducing the overall internal field strength and preventing stress within the laminate isolation barrier.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thickness of the core layer is increased to reduce electric fields, then the electric field strength is reduced, but the device size becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
Conductive field plates are introduced as intermediary elements positioned between the primary and secondary windings. These field plates serve as mediators that redistribute and control the electric field distribution, reducing the electric field stress on the insulation barrier without requiring an increase in core layer thickness. The field plates act as intermediate structures that manage the high voltage isolation requirement while maintaining compact device dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the electric field distribution parameters by introducing conductive field plates with specific conductivity values and positioning them at optimized locations. This modifies the electric field strength and distribution pattern within the transformer, reducing the maximum field stress on the insulation barrier. The parameter changes include the conductivity, thickness, and positional coordinates of the field plates to achieve optimal field control.
2Reliability
If high voltage isolation is implemented, then voltage isolation performance is improved, but electric field stress on insulation barrier increases
Solution Approach 1:
Conductive field plates serve as intermediary structures that manage the electric field distribution in high voltage isolation applications. By positioning these plates between high voltage and low voltage windings, the electric field lines are redirected and distributed more evenly, preventing concentration of stress on the insulation barrier while maintaining the required voltage isolation level.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive field plates are designed to create equipotential regions that smooth out electric field gradients. By maintaining nearly uniform potential distribution across the insulation barrier, the field plates reduce the maximum electric field stress while preserving the voltage isolation function. This equipotential effect prevents localized field concentration that would otherwise lead to insulation breakdown.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces the stressed volume and prevents premature device failure, allowing for high voltage isolation in a compact form factor suitable for automotive and industrial applications.
Implementation Method 1
High electric fields are generated within the insulation barrier, for example, in a core layer in a multilevel lamination structure. The high electric field can generate undesired stress within the laminate isolation barrier and lead to premature failures.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes a magnetic assembly with a multilevel lamination or metallization structure having a core layer, dielectric layers and conductive features formed in metal layers on or between the dielectric layers in respective planes of orthogonal first and second directions and stacked along an orthogonal third direction. The conductive features include first and second patterned conductive features forming first and second windings, first and second conductive capacitor plates, and first and second conductive field plates, in which the first conductive capacitor plate is between the first conductive field plate and the core layer along the third direction and the second conductive capacitor plate is between the second conductive field plate and the core layer along the third direction.