Protecting automotive power components from thermal runaway

The growing demand for electronics that can operate in harsh environments such as under-hood automotive systems and rugged industrial applications is fueling a trend toward new materials and more efficient power components. High-power, high-temperature applications place greater demands on power electronic systems, resulting in the potential for serious thermal issues when components such as power Field Effect Transistors (powerFETs), capacitors, resistors or integrated circuits fail due to long-term exposure to harsh environments.