Paul Paret leads the computational modeling efforts to simulate the thermal and thermomechanical behavior of power electronic modules for NREL's power electronics and electric machines group. He develops lifetime prediction models of critical bonded materials within the power modules by correlating the simulation outputs with experimental results. He conducts design optimization studies to identify the optimal component layers and geometry within the power modules to improve their power density, efficiency, and reliability. His other areas of interest include time-series forecasting, image denoising, and dimensionality reduction techniques.

Research Interests

Power electronics reliability and lifetime prediction

Thermal and thermomechanical finite element modeling

Reduced-order modeling and design optimization

Dimensionality reduction and machine learning

Scientific computing

Education

Certification, Scientific Computing, University of Washington

M.S., Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder

B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum

Professional Experience

Research Engineer, Center for Integrated Mobility Sciences, NREL (2012–present)

Research Intern, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2012)

Teaching Assistant, University of Colorado Boulder (2012)

Guest Lecturer, Govt. Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology (2010)

Associations and Memberships

Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Senior Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

Featured Work

PCB-on-DBC GAN power module design with high-density integration and double-sided cooling, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics (2023)

Silicon carbide inverter for off-road heavy-duty applications: The importance of thermal and thermomechanical design in power electronics packaging, IEEE Electrification Magazine (2023)

Automated Design-for-Reliability of a Power Electronics Module, 2023 22nd IEEE Intersociety Conference on Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electronic Systems (ITherm) (2023)

Artificial Intelligence for Power Electronics in Electric Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities, Journal of Electronic Packaging (2022)

Interdiffusion and formation of intermetallic compounds in high-temperature power electronics substrate joints fabricated by transient liquid phase bonding, Microelectronics Reliability (2022)

Reliability and Lifetime Prediction Model of Sintered Silver under High-Temperature Cycling, IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics (2021)

Liquid-Cooled Aluminum Silicon Carbide Heat Sinks for Reliable Power Electronics Packages, ASME Journal of Electronics Packaging (2019)

Thermomechanical Modeling of High-Temperature Bonded Interface Materials, Die-Attach Materials for High Temperature Applications in Microelectronics Packaging: Materials, Processes, Equipment, and Reliability (2019)

Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of AlN to AlSiC for Durable Power Electronic Packages, Advanced Engineering Materials (2018)

Reliability of Emerging Bonded Interface Materials for Large-Area Attachments, IEEE Transactions of Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology (2016)

Awards and Honors

Outstanding Performance Staff Award, NREL (2018)

R&D 100 Award with Wolfspeed, Toyota, and the University of Arkansas, R&D Magazine (2016)

Outstanding Paper Award, Second Place, ASME InterPACK Conference (2013)