Power semiconductor module and motor drive system

• US 6,313,598 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2000
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Power Semiconductor Device, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ogawa, Toshio, Tamba, Akihiro, Yamada, Kazuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US09/463,591
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 318/722, 318/800, 318/801, 318/803, 361/728, 361/736, 361/748, 361/752, 361/760, 361/772, 257/678, 257/684, 257/687, 257/690, 257/692, 257/693
• US Class Current: 318/722
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3107 the device being completely enclosed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4334 Auxiliary members in encapsulations H01L23/49568 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49575 Assemblies of semiconductor devices on lead frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/04 the devices not having separate containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/165 Containers
• 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 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• 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 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1815 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern

Abstract

A power semiconductor module comprising a power semiconductor element included in a power circuit portion and mounted on a metal base, a first resin molded to the power semiconductor element, a control circuit element disposed on the first resin and included at least in a portion of the control circuit, and a control terminal connected to the power circuit portion and having an exposed portion thereof in the surface of the first resin, in which a portion of the control circuit is connected with the power circuit portion at the exposed portion of the control terminal. Accordingly, a resin mold type power semiconductor module capable of realizing a high performance of the control circuit portion at low cost can be realized.

Claims

1. A power semiconductor module having a power circuit portion and a control circuit portion for controlling said power circuit portion, comprising:

a metal base;

a power semiconductor element included in said power circuit portion and mounted on said metal base through an insulator;

a first resin molded to said power semiconductor element such that the surface of said metal base is exposed;

a control circuit element included at least in a portion of said control circuit portion and disposed on said first resin;

a main terminal connected with said power circuit portion and led to the outside of said first resin; and

a control terminal connected with said power circuit portion and having its portion exposed in the surface of said first resin,

wherein said portion of said control circuit portion is connected with said power circuit portion at said exposed potion of said control terminal.

2. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said first resin has a recess and said control circuit element is disposed on the bottom face of said recess.

3. A power semiconductor module according to claim 2, wherein a second resin is further filled in said recess.

4. A power semiconductor module according to claim 2, further comprising a lid for covering said recess.

5. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said power semiconductor element is bonded onto a lead frame and said lead frame is mounted on said metal base through said insulator.

6. A power semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein said main terminal and said control terminal are constituted of part of said lead frame.

7. A power semiconductor module according to claim 5, wherein said insulator is constituted of a resin sheet and the side face of said metal base is exposed.

8. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said insulator is constituted of part of said first resin.

9. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said first resin is fabricated by transfer molding.

10. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said control circuit element is bonded to a circuit board and an electrode on said circuit board is electrically connected with said exposed portion of said control terminal.

11. A power semiconductor module according to claim 10, further comprising another control circuit element bonded to said circuit board on the side opposite to the side of said circuit board to which said control circuit element is bonded.

12. A power semiconductor module according to claim 10, wherein said electrode on said circuit board and said exposed portion of said control terminal are connected with each other by soldering.

13. A power semiconductor module according to claim 10, further comprising an external terminal attached onto said circuit board.

14. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, further comprising a second resin molded to said control circuit element and said first resin.

15. A power semiconductor module according to claim 14, wherein said insulator is constituted of part of said second resin.

16. A power semiconductor module according to claim 14, wherein said second resin is fabricated by transfer molding.

17. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, further comprising another control circuit element mounted on said metal base through said insulator and subjected to molding with said first resin.

18. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein said portion of said control circuit portion is connected with said power circuit portion by a metallic wiring disposed on said first resin.

19. A power semiconductor module according to claim 1 or 5, wherein said insulator is constituted of a resin sheet.

20. A motor driving system comprising an electric motor and an inverter for driving said electric motor, wherein said inverter is constituted of a power semiconductor module in which said power circuit portion according to claim 1 is an inverter circuit.

21. A motor driving system according to claim 20, further comprising a converter connected to said inverter, wherein said converter is constituted of a power semiconductor module in which said power circuit portion according to claim 1 is a diode bridge.

22. A motor driving system according to claim 20, further comprising a converter connected to said inverter, wherein said converter is constituted of a power semiconductor module in which said power circuit portion according to claim 1 is an active converter circuit.

23. A power semiconductor module comprising:

a metal base;

a power circuit portion including a power semiconductor element and disposed on said metal base through an insulator;

a first resin molded to said power semiconductor element such that the surface of said metal base is exposed;

a main terminal connected to said power circuit portion and taken to the outside of said first resin; and

a control terminal connected to said power circuit portion and having an exposed portion in the surface of said first resin for connecting a control circuit portion to said power circuit portion.