BASE FOR POWER MODULE

• US 20100002397A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki, Showa Denko KK
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki, Showa Denko KK
• Inventors: Toh, Keiji, Yamauchi, Shinobu, Wakabayashi, Nobuhiro, Obara, Hideyasu, Mori, Shogo, Nakagawa, Shintaro
• Granted Patent: US 8,102,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/713
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3677 Wire-like or pin-like cooling fins or heat sinks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3735 Laminates or multilayers, e.g. direct bond copper ceramic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4006 with bolts or screws
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A power module base includes a heat radiation substrate formed of a high-thermal-conduction material, an insulating substrate joined to an upper surface of the heat radiation substrate, a wiring layer provided on an upper surface of the insulating substrate, and a heat radiation fin joined to a lower surface of the heat radiation substrate. A component attachment plate thicker than the heat radiation substrate and including a through hole for accommodating the insulating substrate is joined to the upper surface of the heat radiation substrate such that the insulating substrate is located within the through hole. This power module base can maintain the upper surface of the component attachment plate flat, and various components required for a power module, such as a casing, can be attached onto the component attachment plate.

Claims

1. A power module base comprising:

a heat radiation substrate formed of a high-thermal-conduction material;

an insulating substrate joined to one surface of the heat radiation substrate;

a wiring layer provided on a surface of the insulating substrate opposite the side where the insulating substrate is joined to the heat radiation substrate; and

a heat radiation fin joined to the other surface of the heat radiation substrate, wherein

a component attachment plate which is thicker than the heat radiation substrate and has a through hole for accommodating the insulating substrate is joined to the surface of the heat radiation substrate, to which surface the insulating substrate is joined, such that the insulating substrate is located within the through hole.

2. A power module base according to claim 1, wherein a cooling jacket is fixed to the surface of the heat radiation substrate, to which surface the heat radiation fin is joined, such that the cooling jacket covers the heat radiation fin;

and a cooling liquid flows within the cooling jacket.

3. A power module base according to claim 1, wherein the insulating substrate and the heat radiation substrate are brazed together, the heat radiation substrate and the heat radiation fin are brazed together, and the heat radiation substrate and the component attachment plate are brazed together.

4. A power module base according to claim 1, wherein a lower-side component attachment plate is joined to an outer surface of a wall portion of the cooling jacket facing the heat radiation substrate.

5. A power module base according to claim 4, wherein the two component attachment plates are connected together.

6. A power module base according to claim 1, wherein a heat transfer layer formed of a high-thermal-conduction material is provided on the surface of the insulating substrate opposite the side where the wiring layer is provided;

and the heat transfer layer and the heat radiation substrate are joined together.

7. A power module base according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the insulating substrate opposite the side where the wiring layer is provided is joined directly to the heat radiation substrate.

8. A power module base according to claim 1, wherein the insulating substrate is formed of a ceramic, and the ceramic is formed of aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide, or silicon nitride.

9. A power module base according to claim 1, wherein the wiring layer is formed of aluminum or copper.

10. A power module base according to claim 1, wherein a stress relaxation member formed of a high-thermal-conduction material is interposed between the insulating substrate and the heat radiation substrate, and the stress relaxation member is joined to the insulating substrate and to the heat radiation substrate.

11. A power module base according to claim 10, wherein the stress relaxation member comprises a plate-like body having a plurality of through holes formed therein.

12. A power module base according to claim 10, wherein the stress relaxation member comprises a plate-like main body and a plurality of protrusions integrally formed on at least one surface of the plate-like main body such that the protrusions are separated from one another.

13. A power module base according to claim 10, wherein the stress relaxation member is formed of a material having a linear expansion coefficient between that of the insulating substrate and that of the heat radiation substrate.

14. A power module base according to claim 10, wherein the stress relaxation member is formed of a porous material.

15. A power module comprising

a power module base according to claim 1;

and

a power device mounted on the wiring layer of the insulating substrate of the power module base.

16. A power module according to claim 15, further comprising a casing attached to the component attachment plate and covering the power device and the insulating substrate of the power module base.