POWER MODULE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20160322281A1
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: SHINTANI, Hiroshi, IDE, Eiichi, SASAKI, Koji, TANIE, Hisashi
• Granted Patent: US 10,080,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4817 for containers, e.g. caps H01L21/4871 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4857 Multilayer substrates multilayer metallisation on monolayer substrate H01L21/4846
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/54 Providing fillings in containers, e.g. gas fillings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2612 Auxiliary members for layer connectors, e.g. spacers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/043 the container being a hollow construction and having a conductive base as a mounting as well as a lead for the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/051 another lead being formed by a cover plate parallel to the base plate, e.g. sandwich type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/24 solid or gel at the normal operating temperature of the device H01L23/3135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3107 the device being completely enclosed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3675 characterised by the shape of the housing
• 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 23/4012 for stacked arrangements of a plurality of semiconductor devices assemblies per se H01L25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4334 Auxiliary members in encapsulations H01L23/49568 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49822 Multilayer substrates multilayer metallisation on monolayer substrate H01L23/498
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49838 Geometry or layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/33 of a plurality of layer connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/07 the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/18 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different subgroups of the same main group of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N
• 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 2924/13055 : Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 : Liquid coolant without phase change

Abstract

A power module or the like is provided in which lower inductance and miniaturization are achieved. The power module includes: main body units (11 to 13), cooling units (21 to 24) which cool the main body units (11 to 13), busbars (51, 52) connected to power terminals (1i, 1j) of the main body units (11 to 13), a casing (W) in which at least contact parts with the busbars (51, 52) are insulative, and a metal member (30) which supports the casing (W). The metal member (30) tightly contacts the casing (W), thereby forming a box with one side opened. At least the main body units (11 to 13) and the busbars (51, 52) are arranged inside the box. An insulating sealant is provided to fill the inside of the box.

Claims

1. A power module comprising:

a main body unit having a semiconductor element, a control terminal connected to the semiconductor element, a power terminal through which a current corresponding to an electrical signal to the control terminal flows, and a heat dissipation layer;

a cooling unit which is arranged in such a way as to be able to exchange heat with the heat dissipation layer and cools the main body unit;

a busbar connected to the power terminal;

a casing in which at least a contact part with the busbar is insulative; and

a metal member which supports the casing;

wherein the metal member tightly contacts the casing, thereby forming a box with one side opened,

at least the main body unit and the busbar are arranged inside the box,

the control terminal and the power terminal extend to the one side from the semiconductor element, and

an insulating sealant is provided to fill the inside of the box, thereby sealing the main body unit and the busbar.

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

a multilayer body in which the main body unit and the cooling unit are arranged alternately in the state of being in tight contact with each other,

wherein the multilayer body is accommodated in the box.

3. The power module according to claim 2, wherein

the casing includes:

an insulating member in which the busbar is placed; and

a pressurizing member which is arranged on both sides in a stacking direction of the multilayer body, and sandwiches and pressurizes the multilayer body.

4. The power module according to claim 3, comprising:

a pair of sidewalls including the pressurizing member and the insulating member supported by the pressurizing member; and

another sidewall which is attached to the pair of sidewalls, thereby forming the casing with the pair of sidewalls.

5. The power module according to claim 2, comprising:

a heat dissipation member made up of the cooling unit and the metal member which are integrally formed;

a cooling water circulation member placed on the heat dissipation member and having a flow path through which cooling water flows.

6. The power module according to claim 2, comprising:

a heat dissipation member made up of the cooling unit, the metal member and an air-cooling fin which are integrally formed,

wherein the fin extends to the other side opposite to the one side.

7. The power module according to claim 1, wherein

the metal member has a pocket which is recessed to the other side opposite to the one side and accommodates the main body unit,

the cooling unit and the main body unit accommodated in the pocket are arranged alternately, and

the cooling unit arranged on both sides of the main body unit can exchange heat with the main body unit via the pocket.

8. The power module according to claim 7, wherein

the metal member has a standing part which surrounds the casing, as viewed in a plan view, and stands up toward the one side.

9. The power module according to claim 8, wherein

a height to which the standing part stands up toward the one side is higher than a liquid surface of the insulating sealant filling the inside of the box.

10. The power module according to claim 7, comprising:

a pressurizing member which sandwiches and pressurizes the cooling units at both ends, of the main body units and the cooling units that are arranged alternately.

11. The power module according to claim 7, wherein

the cooling unit has a flow path for allowing cooling water to pass through itself.

12. The power module according to claim 7, comprising:

a heat sink which is placed on the other side of the cooling unit and dissipates heat absorbed from the cooling unit into the air.

13. The power module according to claim 1, wherein

the insulating sealant is a gel or resin.

14. A power module comprising:

a main body unit having a semiconductor element, a control terminal connected to the semiconductor element, a power terminal through which a current corresponding to an electrical signal to the control terminal flows, and a heat dissipation layer;

a cooling unit which cools the main body unit; and

a metal member which is integrally formed, for separating the main body unit and the cooling unit from each other in such a way as to enable heat exchange, in the state where the main body unit and the cooling unit are arranged alternately;

wherein in the state where the main body unit and the cooling unit are arranged alternately and separated from each other by the metal member,

the main body unit is exposed to one side from the metal member, and

the cooling unit is exposed to the other side opposite to the one side, from the metal member

15. A method for manufacturing a power module, comprising:

a positioning process in which a main body unit having a semiconductor element, a control terminal connected to the semiconductor element, a power terminal through which a current corresponding to an electrical signal to the control terminal flows, and a heat dissipation layer, and

a cooling unit which is arranged in such a way as to be able to exchange heat with the heat dissipation layer and cools the main body unit,

are arranged alternately and positioned in the state of being in tight contact with each other;

a connecting process in which the power terminal and a busbar are connected together;

a coating process in which a casing in which at least a contact part with the busbar is insulative, and a metal member which supports the casing, are brought in tight contact with each other and coated, thus forming a box with one side opened; and

a sealing process in which an insulating sealant is provided to fill the inside of the box, where the main body unit, the cooling unit and the busbar are arranged;

wherein the control terminal and the power terminal extend to the one side from the semiconductor element.

16. A method for manufacturing a power module, comprising:

a positioning process in which a metal member is provided between

a main body unit having a semiconductor element, a control terminal connected to the semiconductor element, a power terminal through which a current corresponding to an electrical signal to the control terminal flows, and a heat dissipation layer, and

a cooling unit which is arranged in such a way as to be able to exchange heat with the heat dissipation layer and cools the main body unit, and

the cooling unit and the main body unit accommodated in a pocket of the metal member are arranged alternately and positioned;

a connecting process in which the power terminal and a busbar are connected together;

a coating process in which a casing in which at least a contact part with the busbar is insulative, and a metal member which supports the casing, are brought in tight contact with each other and coated, thus forming a box with one side opened; and

a sealing process in which an insulating sealant is provided to fill the inside of the box, where the main body unit and the busbar are arranged;

wherein the control terminal and the power terminal extend to the one side from the semiconductor element, and

the pocket is recessed to the other side opposite to the one side.