POWER SEMICONDUCTOR MODULE

• US 20120119256A1
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Inventors: OKITA, Souichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/140
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0603 Bonding areas having different sizes, e.g. different heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7393 Insulated gate bipolar mode transistors, i.e. IGBT; IGT; COMFET
• 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 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01068 Erbium [Er]
• 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 2924/207 Diameter ranges
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/487 Neutral point clamped inverters

Abstract

In a semiconductor module according to certain aspects the invention, a U-terminal and an M-terminal overlap each other in a manner to reduce inductance and to further to reduce the size of snubber capacitor. In certain aspects of the invention, a P-terminal, M-terminal, N-terminal, and U-terminal are arranged such that the U-terminal, through which currents flow in and out, is arranged farthest away from control electrodes to reduce the noises superposed to control electrodes, and the P-terminal, M-terminal, N-terminal, and U-terminal are aligned to facilitate attaching external connection bars thereto. A power semiconductor module according to aspects of the invention can facilitate reducing the wiring inductance inside and outside the module, reducing the electromagnetic noises introduced into the control terminals, and attaching the external wirings to the terminals thereof simply and easily.

Claims

1. A power semiconductor module comprising:

a first power supply;

a second power supply;

a first circuit comprising a first IGBT and a first diode connected in opposite parallel to each other, the first circuit constituting an upper arm;

a second circuit comprising a second IGBT and a second diode connected in opposite parallel to each other, the second circuit constituting a lower arm;

an intermediate circuit comprising a first reverse blocking IGBT and a second reverse blocking IGBT connected in opposite parallel to each other;

the first power supply and the second power supply being connected in series to each other at a first connection point;

a first end of the first circuit being connected to a high-potential-side of the first power supply at a second connection point;

a second end of the first circuit, the second circuit, and the intermediate circuit being connected to a load at a third connection point;

the second circuit being connected to a low-potential-side of the second power supply at a fourth connection point;

a case;

a control terminal, the control terminals being connected to gates of the first IGBT, the second IGBT, the first reverse blocking IGBT, and the second reverse blocking IGBT;

an output terminal connecting the third connection point, a collector of the first reverse blocking IGBT, and an emitter of the second reverse blocking IGBT to each other;

an intermediate terminal connecting the first connection point, an emitter of the first reverse blocking IGBT, and a collector of the second reverse blocking IGBT to each other; and

the output terminal and the intermediate terminal overlapping each other in the case.

2. The power semiconductor module according to claim 1, the power semiconductor module further comprising:

a P-terminal connecting the first connection point, a collector of the first IGBT, and a cathode of the first diode to each other;

an N-terminal connecting the fourth connection point, an emitter of the second IGBT and an anode of the second diode;

an M-terminal working as the intermediate terminal; and

a U-terminal, a V-terminal, or a W-terminal working as the output terminal.

3. The power semiconductor module according to claim 1, the power semiconductor module further comprising:

a P-terminal connecting the first connection point, a collector of the first IGBT, and a cathode of the first diode to each other, the P-terminal comprising a connector end section exposed outside the case;

an N-terminal connecting the fourth connection point, an emitter of the second IGBT and an anode of the second diode, the N-terminal comprising a connector end section exposed outside the case;

an M-terminal working as the intermediate terminal, the M-terminal comprising a connector end section exposed outside the case;

a U-terminal, a V-terminal, or a W-terminal working as the output terminal, the output terminal comprising a connector end section exposed outside the case; and

the exposed connector end sections of the P-terminal, the M-terminal, the N-terminal, and the output terminal being arranged farther away from the control terminals in the order of the description.

4. The power semiconductor module according to claim 3, wherein

the connector end sections of the P-terminal, the M-terminal, the N-terminal, and the output terminal are aligned farther away from the control terminals in the order of the description.

5. The power semiconductor module according to claim 1, the power semiconductor module further comprising:

a P-terminal connecting the first connection point, a collector of the first IGBT, and a cathode of the first diode to each other, the P-terminal comprising a connector end section exposed outside the case;

an N-terminal connecting the fourth connection point, an emitter of the second IGBT and an anode of the second diode, the N-terminal comprising a connector end section exposed outside the case;

an M-terminal working as the intermediate terminal, the M-terminal comprising a connector end section exposed outside the case;

a U-terminal, a V-terminal, or a W-terminal working as the output terminal, the output terminal comprising a connector end section exposed outside the case;

the exposed connector end sections of the N-terminal, the M-terminal, and the P-terminal being arranged farther away from the control terminals in the order of the description;

the exposed connector end sections of the N-terminal, the M-terminal, and the P-terminal being aligned; and

the exposed connector end section of the output terminal being arranged beside the exposed connector end section of the P-terminal.

6. The power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein

the first IGBT and the first diode are fixed to a first insulated substrate;

the second IGBT and the second diode are fixed to a second insulated substrate;

the first reverse blocking IGBT is fixed to a third insulated substrate;

the second reverse blocking IGBT is fixed to a fourth insulated substrate; and

the first through fourth insulated substrates comprise a same electrical-conductor pattern formed thereon.

7. The power semiconductor module according to claim 6, wherein

the control electrodes are fixed along a first side wall of the case;

and

the first reverse blocking IGBT and the second reverse blocking IGBT are fixed to the electrical-conductor patterns arranged along the first side wall of the case or to the electrical-conductor patterns arranged along a second side wall of the case facing to the first side wall of the case.