TEMPERATURE SENSING ARRANGEMENTS FOR POWER ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20090052210A1
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ward, Terence G., Yankoski, Edward P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,857,509 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/56.10
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/20 with sensing elements having variation of electric or magnetic properties with change of temperature G05D23/13 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0603 Bonding areas having different sizes, e.g. different heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/37011 comprising apertures or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/37147 Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/37686 with a principal constituent of the material being a non metallic, non metalloid inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/40225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73221 Strap and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/84801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8485 using a polymer adhesive, e.g. an adhesive based on silicone, epoxy, polyimide, polyester
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/37 of an individual strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/40 of an individual strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/41 of a plurality of strap connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/84 using a strap connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 : Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19104 : on the semiconductor or solid-state device, i.e. passive-on-chip

Abstract

A cooling system is provided for controlling temperature in a power electronic device. The power electronic device includes a semiconductor having a major surface. The cooling system includes a temperature sensor coupled to the major surface of the semiconductor; and a control circuit coupled the temperature sensor. The control circuit is configured to reduce current to the inverter circuit when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. A cooling system for controlling temperature in a power electronic device, the power electronic device, including a semiconductor having a major surface, the cooling system comprising:

a temperature sensor coupled to the major surface of the semiconductor; and

a control circuit coupled the temperature sensor, the control circuit configured to reduce current to the inverter circuit when the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to reduce the current to the inverter circuit to substantially zero when the temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature.

3. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor or a thermocouple.

4. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined temperature is about 150°

C.

5. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the major surface is a top surface of the semiconductor, and wherein the semiconductor has a bottom surface configured to be cooled by a fluid coolant.

6. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising a metal base coupled to the major surface of the semiconductor, wherein the temperature sensor is attached to the metal base.

7. The cooling system of claim 1, further comprising an interconnect coupled to the semiconductor, wherein the temperature sensor is coupled to the interconnect.

8. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the inverter circuit further includes a diode disposed adjacent to the semiconductor, the cooling system further comprising a second temperature sensor connected to the control circuit and mounted on the diode.

9. A system for monitoring temperature in at least one power electronic device providing alternating current to an AC motor of an automotive vehicle, wherein the at least one power electronic device includes a semiconductor having a major surface, at least a portion of which is exposed, the system comprising:

at least one base coupled to the exposed portion of the major surface of the semiconductor;

a thermistor electrically mounted on and electrically connected to the at least one base, and configured to measure the temperature of the semiconductor; and

a power control circuit electrically connected to the thermistor and configured to control DC current to the semiconductor, the power control circuit configured to reduce current to the semiconductor when the temperature of the semiconductor exceeds a predetermined temperature.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined temperature is about 150°

C.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the power control circuit is configured to reduce the current to the inverter circuit to substantially zero when the temperature exceeds the predetermined temperature.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one base comprises two bases coupled to the exposed major surface of the semiconductor and spaced at a distance from one another, the thermistor bridging the two bases.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the power electronic device includes a plurality of inverter circuits arranged in a module, the inverter circuits each includes a diode disposed adjacent each semiconductor, and the predetermined temperature of the semiconductor is a first predetermined temperature, and

wherein the system further comprises an additional thermistor mounted on each diode and connected to the control circuit for reducing current to the module when the diode exceeds a second predetermined temperature.

14. A substrate subassembly comprising:

a ceramic wafer having first and second opposed metallized major faces;

a first metal tab on the first metallized face that extends away from the ceramic wafer for electrical connection to a first terminal member;

a semiconductor switching device electrically conductively bonded to the first metallized face of the ceramic wafer, wherein the semiconductor switching device includes electrodes on a first surface;

a first ceramic layer bonded to a portion of the first metallized face of the ceramic wafer adjacent the semiconductor switching device, the first ceramic layer having a metallized first surface;

a second metal tab on the metallized first surface of the first ceramic layer that extends away from the ceramic wafer for electrical connection to a second terminal member;

a first metal layer conductively bonded to the electrodes on the first surface of the semiconductor switching device and also to the metallized first surface of the first ceramic layer;

a second ceramic layer bonded to the first metal layer, the second ceramic layer being disposed over the semiconductor switching device

a second metal layer bonded to the second ceramic layer; and

a temperature sensor coupled to the semiconductor switching device, the temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the semiconductor device.

15. The substrate subassembly of claim 14, wherein the semiconductor switching device is an IGBT.

16. The substrate subassembly of claim 14, wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor.

17. The substrate subassembly of claim 14, wherein the temperature sensor is bonded to the second metal layer.

18. The substrate subassembly of claim 14, wherein the temperature sensor is bonded to the second ceramic layer.

19. The substrate subassembly of claim 14, wherein the first metal layer, the second ceramic layer, and the second metal layer form an interconnect that approximately matches a thermal coefficient of expansion of the semiconductor switching device.

20. The substrate subassembly of claim 14, further comprising a diode disposed adjacent to the semiconductor switching device, and an additional temperature sensor coupled to the diode.