High voltage power module

• US 10,448,524 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wolfspeed, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cole, Zachary, Passmore, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoa C
• Application Number:
  US15/796,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20180070462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4093 Snap-on arrangements, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5382 Adaptable interconnections, e.g. for engineering changes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/72 Detachable connecting means consisting of mechanical auxiliary parts connecting the device, e.g. pressure contacts using springs or clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/115 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/162 the devices being mounted on two or more different substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1608 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0298 Multilayer circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/142 Arrangements of planar printed circuit boards in the same plane, e.g. auxiliary printed circuit insert mounted in a main printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10363 Jumpers, i.e. non-printed cross-over connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0065 wherein modules are associated together, e.g. electromechanical assemblies, modular structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0069 having connector relating features for connecting the connector pins with the PCB or for mounting the connector body with the housing

Abstract

A power module includes a number of sub-modules connected via removable jumpers. The removable jumpers allow the connections between one or more power semiconductor die in the sub-modules to be reconfigured, such that when the removable jumpers are provided, the power module has a first function, and when the removable jumpers are removed, the power module has a second function. The removable jumpers may also allow for independent testing of the sub-modules. The power module may also include a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB), which is used to connect one or more contacts of the power semiconductor die. The multi-layer PCB reduces stray inductance between the contacts and therefore improves the performance of the power module.

Claims

1. A power module comprising:

a first sub-module comprising a first power semiconductor die on a first power substrate;

a second sub-module comprising a second power semiconductor die on a second power substrate; and

a removable jumper coupled between at least one contact of the first power semiconductor die and at least one contact of the second power semiconductor die through interconnect printed circuit boards.

2. The power module of claim 1 wherein the power module is configured to block at least 3 kV.

3. The power module of claim 1 wherein the first sub-module and the second sub-module are independently removable from the power module.

4. The power module of claim 1 wherein the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die are metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).

5. The power module of claim 4 wherein the at least one contact of the first power semiconductor die and the at least one contact of the second power semiconductor die are gate contacts.

6. The power module of claim 4 wherein the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die are silicon carbide devices.

7. The power module of claim 1 further comprising:

a third sub-module comprising a third power semiconductor die; and

an additional removable jumper coupled between at least one contact of the third power semiconductor die and the at least one contact of the second power semiconductor die.

8. The power module of claim 7 wherein:

the power module is configured to operate in a single-phase mode of operation when the removable jumper and the additional removable jumper are provided; and

the power module is configured to operate in a three-phase mode of operation when the removable jumper and the additional removable jumper are not provided.

9. The power module of claim 7 wherein the first sub-module, the second sub-module, and the third sub-module are independently removable from the power module.

10. The power module of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one contact of the first power semiconductor die comprises a gate contact; and

the interconnect printed circuit boards comprise multi-layer printed circuit boards in which a connection with the gate contact of the first power semiconductor die is provided on a first conductive layer and a connection with a source contact of the first power semiconductor die is provided on a second conductive layer.

11. A power module comprising:

a first power semiconductor die on a first power substrate;

a second power semiconductor die on a second power substrate;

a first interconnect board over and coupled to the first power semiconductor die;

a second interconnect board over and coupled to the second power semiconductor die; and

a removable jumper coupled between the first interconnect board and the second interconnect board.

12. The power module of claim 11 wherein the removable jumper comprises a gate-source control connection between the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die.

13. The power module of claim 11 wherein the first power semiconductor die comprises a first group of power semiconductor die coupled in series and the second power semiconductor die comprises a second group of power semiconductor die coupled in series.

14. The power module of claim 13 wherein the first group of power semiconductor die and the second group of power semiconductor die are metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).

15. The power module of claim 13 wherein the first group of power semiconductor die and the second group of power semiconductor die are silicon carbide devices.