METHODS FOR MAKING MILLICHANNEL SUBSTRATE, AND COOLING DEVICE AND APPARATUS USING THE SUBSTRATE

• US 20100226093A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Stevanovic, Ljubisa Dragoljub, Beaupre, Richard Alfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,898,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/699
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/407 Copper
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3735 Laminates or multilayers, e.g. direct bond copper ceramic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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 2924/1305 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: H05K 1/0272 Adaptations for fluid transport, e.g. channels, holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0355 Metal foils
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09745 Recess in conductor, e.g. in pad or in metallic substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0061 onto a metallic substrate, e.g. a heat sink heat sinks for electric apparatus H05K7/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49366 Sheet joined to sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 Fluidic or fluid actuated device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves

Abstract

A substrate for power electronics mounted thereon, comprises a middle ceramic layer having a lower surface and an upper surface, an upper metal layer attached to the upper surface of the middle ceramic layer, and a lower metal layer attached to the lower surface of the middle ceramic layer. The lower metal layer has a plurality of millichannels configured to deliver a coolant for cooling the power electronics, wherein the millichannels are formed on the lower metal layer prior to attachment to the lower surface of the middle ceramic layer. Methods for making a cooling device and an apparatus are also presented.

Claims

1. A substrate for power electronics mounted thereon, the substrate comprising:

a middle ceramic layer having a lower surface and an upper surface;

an upper metal layer attached to the upper surface of the middle ceramic layer; and

a lower metal layer attached to the lower surface of the middle ceramic layer, the lower metal layer having a plurality of millichannels configured to deliver a coolant for cooling the power electronics, wherein the millichannels are formed on the lower metal layer prior to attachment to the lower surface of the middle ceramic layer.

2. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the lower metal layer and the upper metal layer are coupled to the middle ceramic layer by one of active metal braze or a direct bonded copper.

3. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the middle ceramic layer comprises at least one electrically isolating and thermal conductive material.

4. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the middle ceramic layer comprises at least one of aluminum oxide (AL₂O₃), aluminum nitride (AlN), beryllium oxide (BeO), and silicon nitride (Si₃N₄).

5. The substrate of claim 1, wherein one the lower metal layer and the upper metal layer comprises one conductive material, wherein the conductive material comprises at least one of copper, aluminum, gold, silver, and alloys thereof.

6. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the millichannels are divided into more than one group arranged separately with each other.

7. A method for making a cooling device, comprising:

defining a plurality of millichannels on a first layer;

forming a substrate, comprising;

attaching the first layer having the millichannels to a lower surface of a second layer, and

attaching a third layer to an upper surface of the second layer; and

attaching the substrate to a base plate so that the first layer is coupled to the base plate, wherein the base plate is configured to cooperate with the substrate to pass a coolant through the millichannels.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the attaching of the first layer and the third layer to the second layer are done simultaneously.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second layer comprises at least one electrically isolating and thermal conductive material, and wherein one or more of the first and third layers comprises at least one conductive material.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the second layer comprises aluminum nitride (AlN), and wherein one or more of the first and third layers comprises copper.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the base plate comprises inlet manifolds and outlet manifolds, and wherein the millichannels are configured to receive the coolant from the inlet manifolds and to deliver the coolant to the outlet manifolds.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising attaching a solder to the base plate before attaching the substrate to the base plate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the solder comprises one of a eutectic lead-tin solder and a hi-lead solder.

14. A method for making an apparatus, comprising:

making a substrate comprising;

defining a plurality of millichannels on a first layer;

attaching the first layer having the millichannels to a lower surface of a second layer, and

attaching a third layer to an upper surface of the second layer;

attaching the substrate to a base plate so that the first layer is coupled to the base plate, wherein the base plate is configured to cooperate with the substrate to pass a coolant through the millichannels; and

attaching a power electronics to the third layer of the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the attaching of the first layer and the third layer to the second layer are done simultaneously.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second layer comprises at least one electrically isolating and thermal conductive material, and wherein one or more of the first and third layers comprise at least one conductive material.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the second layer comprises aluminum nitride (AlN), and wherein one or more of the first and third layers comprises copper.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the base plate comprises inlet manifolds and outlet manifolds, and wherein the millichannels are configured to receive the coolant from the inlet manifolds and to deliver the coolant to the outlet manifolds.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising attaching of a solder to the base plate before attaching the substrate to the base plate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the solder comprises at least one of a eutectic lead-tin solder and a hi-lead solder.