Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides a power module for automotive switching applications including a plurality of semiconductor chips and a unitary silicon nitride substrate. The plurality of semiconductor chips are attached to the silicon nitride substrate and the substrate is configured to have a thermal coefficient of expansion substantially the same as the plurality of semiconductor chips.

Abstract: A dynamic discharge circuit for a capacitively-charged electrical device includes, in one embodiment, a bipolar transistor placed in the discharge path, with the base of the transistor being connected so that conduction is held off by the voltage generated by an illuminated PV-diode. When the PV-diode is shut off, base-drive is immediately supplied through a base resistor in dynamic fashion by the very capacitive charge that is to be discharged. In another embodiment, the resistor is replaced with a diode-transistor combination, thus eliminating the delaying RC product inherent with the use of a resistor. In yet a further embodiment, an SCR placed in the discharge path is also dynamically driven. Discharge times on the order of about 5 microseconds are attained with the latter two embodiments and it is found that this discharge time is relatively constant regardless of the value of the capacitance to be discharged.