Semiconductor device

• US 10,462,939 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2015
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Ushijima, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gafur, Razmeen
• Application Number:
  US15/533,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20170332522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 361676-678, 36167946-67954, 361688-723, 165 801- 805, 16510433, 165185, 174 151- 153, 174 161- 163, 174547, 174548, 257712-722, 257E23088, 24453, 24458-459, 454184, 312236
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/06 the means being attachable to the element
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/10 Arrangements for sealing the margins
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/12 Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/026 with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20272 Accessories for moving fluid, for expanding fluid, for connecting fluid conduits, for distributing fluid, for removing gas or for preventing leakage, e.g. pumps, tanks or manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20281 Thermal management, e.g. liquid flow control
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a cooling jacket having an inlet for coolant and an outlet for the coolant, a base plate, a first semiconductor element provided on the base plate, a second semiconductor element provided on the base plate, a first fin provided directly under the first semiconductor element on a back surface of the base plate and placed within the cooling jacket, a second fin provided directly under the second semiconductor element on the back surface of the base plate and placed within the cooling jacket, and a separator provided within the cooling jacket to divide the coolant entering the cooling jacket through the inlet into portions respectively cooling the first fin and the second fin.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooling jacket having an inlet for coolant and an outlet for the coolant;

a base plate;

a first semiconductor element provided on the base plate;

a second semiconductor element provided on the base plate;

a first fin provided directly under the first semiconductor element on a back surface of the base plate and placed within the cooling jacket;

a second fin provided directly under the second semiconductor element on the back surface of the base plate and placed within the cooling jacket; and

a separator provided within the cooling jacket, the separator having a first surface facing a first portion of the back surface of the base plate at which the first fin is provided, and a second surface facing a second portion of the back surface of the base plate at which the second fin is provided, and the separator being configured to divide the coolant entering the cooling jacket through the inlet into portions that pass through a first space between the first surface and the first portion of the back surface of the base plate past the first fin, and through a second space between the second surface and the second portion of the back surface of the base plate past the second fin, to respectively cool the first fin and the second fin,

wherein the separator is a separate structure from the cooling jacket.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the separator comprises:

a first guide portion for leading the coolant entering through the inlet to a space between the first fin and the second fin; and

a second guide portion for leading the coolant between the first fin and the second fin toward the first fin and the second fin.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein

the outlet comprises a first outlet and a second outlet,

the coolant cooling the first fin is discharged through the first outlet, and

the coolant cooling the second fin is discharged through the second outlet.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a first temperature measurement portion for measuring temperature of the first semiconductor element;

a second temperature measurement portion for measuring temperature of the second semiconductor element;

a first regulator for adjusting an amount of the coolant discharged through the first outlet;

a second regulator for adjusting an amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet; and

a controller for controlling the first regulator and the second regulator,

wherein the controller

controls the first regulator to increase the amount of the coolant discharged through the first outlet if the temperature measured by the first temperature measurement portion is higher than the temperature measured by the second temperature measurement portion, and

controls the second regulator to increase the amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet if the temperature measured by the second temperature measurement portion is higher than the temperature measured by the first temperature measurement portion.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4, wherein the controller controls the first regulator and the second regulator so that a sum of the amount of the coolant discharged through the first outlet and the amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet may be maintained constant.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a first temperature measurement portion for measuring temperature of the first semiconductor element;

a second temperature measurement portion for measuring temperature of the second semiconductor element;

a regulator for adjusting an amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet; and

a controller for controlling the regulator,

wherein the controller

controls the regulator to reduce the amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet if the temperature measured by the first temperature measurement portion is higher than the temperature measured by the second temperature measurement portion, and

controls the regulator to increase the amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet if the temperature measured by the second temperature measurement portion is higher than the temperature measured by the first temperature measurement portion.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein an area of opening of the second outlet is larger than an area of opening of the first outlet.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a tip of the first fin and a tip of the second fin are in contact with the second guide portion.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein

the cooling jacket has a first surface having the inlet formed therein and a second surface having the outlet formed therein and facing the first surface,

the first guide portion is in contact with the first surface and the second surface, and

the second guide portion is in contact with the first surface and the second surface.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein the second guide portion guides the portions of the coolant to flow in respective directions that are opposite to each other.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the separator divides the coolant entering the cooling jacket through the inlet so that a flow rate of the coolant cooling the second fin becomes higher than a flow rate of the coolant cooling the first fin.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the separator is configured to divide the coolant into portions that flow in respective directions that are transverse to a flow direction of the coolant entering the cooling jacket through the inlet and opposite to each other so that the portions respectively cool the first fin and the second fin.

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooling jacket having an inlet for coolant and an outlet for the coolant, the outlet comprising a first outlet and a second outlet;

a base plate;

a first semiconductor element provided on the base plate;

a second semiconductor element provided on the base plate;

a first fin provided directly under the first semiconductor element on a back surface of the base plate and placed within the cooling jacket;

a second fin provided directly under the second semiconductor element on the back surface of the base plate and placed within the cooling jacket;

a separator provided within the cooling jacket to divide the coolant entering the cooling jacket through the inlet into portions respectively cooling the first fin and the second fin,

wherein

the coolant cooling the first fin is discharged through the first outlet,

the coolant cooling the second fin is discharged through the second outlet, and

the separator is a separate structure from the cooling jacket and comprises;

a first guide portion for leading the coolant entering through the inlet to a space between the first fin and the second fin; and

a second guide portion for leading the coolant between the first fin and the second fin toward the first fin and the second fin;

a first temperature measurement portion for measuring temperature of the first semiconductor element;

a second temperature measurement portion for measuring temperature of the second semiconductor element;

a first regulator for adjusting an amount of the coolant discharged through the first outlet;

a second regulator for adjusting an amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet; and

a controller for controlling the first regulator and the second regulator,

wherein the controller

controls the first regulator to increase the amount of the coolant discharged through the first outlet if the temperature measured by the first temperature measurement portion is higher than the temperature measured by the second temperature measurement portion, and

controls the second regulator to increase the amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet if the temperature measured by the second temperature measurement portion is higher than the temperature measured by the first temperature measurement portion.

14. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the controller controls the first regulator and the second regulator so that a sum of the amount of the coolant discharged through the first outlet and the amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet may be maintained constant.

15. A semiconductor device comprising:

a cooling jacket having an inlet for coolant and an outlet for the coolant, the outlet comprising a first outlet and a second outlet;

a base plate;

a first semiconductor element provided on the base plate;

a second semiconductor element provided on the base plate;

a first fin provided directly under the first semiconductor element on a back surface of the base plate and placed within the cooling jacket;

a second fin provided directly under the second semiconductor element on the back surface of the base plate and placed within the cooling jacket;

a separator provided within the cooling jacket to divide the coolant entering the cooling jacket through the inlet into portions respectively cooling the first fin and the second fin,

wherein

the coolant cooling the first fin is discharged through the first outlet,

the coolant cooling the second fin is discharged through the second outlet, and

the separator is a separate structure from the cooling jacket and comprises;

a first guide portion for leading the coolant entering through the inlet to a space between the first fin and the second fin; and

a second guide portion for leading the coolant between the first fin and the second fin toward the first fin and the second fin;

a first temperature measurement portion for measuring temperature of the first semiconductor element;

a second temperature measurement portion for measuring temperature of the second semiconductor element;

a regulator for adjusting an amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet; and

a controller for controlling the regulator,

wherein the controller

controls the regulator to reduce the amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet if the temperature measured by the first temperature measurement portion is higher than the temperature measured by the second temperature measurement portion, and

controls the regulator to increase the amount of the coolant discharged through the second outlet if the temperature measured by the second temperature measurement portion is higher than the temperature measured by the first temperature measurement portion.

16. The semiconductor device according to claim 15, wherein an area of opening of the second outlet is larger than an area of opening of the first outlet.