High-power, integrated AC switch module with distributed array of hybrid devices

• US 7,034,345 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Chang, Jie, Zhang, Jiajia, Wang, Anhua, Jing, Xiukuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Erdem, Fazli
• Application Number:
  US10/401,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20040188706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 232/122, 232/121, 232/133, 232/146, 232/150, 232/159, 232/360, 318/762, 318/764, 363/152, 363/163, 363/26, 363/25, 363/137, 257/171, 257/159, 257/471, 257/723, 257/724, 257/178, 257/179, 257/176, 257/175, 438/281, 438/328
• US Class Current: 257/177
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0603 Bonding areas having different sizes, e.g. different heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4813 Connecting within a semiconductor or solid-state body, i.e. fly wire, bridge wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48139 with an intermediate bond, e.g. continuous wire daisy chain
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48233 connecting the wire to a potential ring of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4846 with multiple bonds on the same bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4911 the connectors being bonded to at least one common bonding area, e.g. daisy chain
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49112 the connectors connecting a common bonding area on the semiconductor or solid-state body to different bonding areas outside the body, e.g. diverging wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49113 the connectors connecting different bonding areas on the semiconductor or solid-state body to a common bonding area outside the body, e.g. converging wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49433 outside the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 of an individual wire connector
• 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 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 2924/00012 : 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 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01083 : Bismuth [Bi]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12036 : PN diode
• 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 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 : Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections

Abstract

A novel architecture of high-power four-quadrant hybrid power modules based on high-current trench gate IGBTs and arrays of low-current wide-bandgap diodes is conceived. The distributed physical layout of high power density wide-bandgap devices improves the cooling inside a fully-sealed module case, thus avoiding excessive internal heat flux build up and high PN junction temperature, and benefiting the converter'"'"'s reliability and efficiency. The design of multiple-in-one hybrid integrated AC-switch module at high power ratings is enabled by using hybrid AC switch cells and aluminum nitride substrate structure.

Claims

1. A semiconductor bi-directional (AC) power switch comprising:

IGBTs; and

an array of wide band-gap diodes associated with each of said IGBTs, the diodes in each array connected in parallel between the emitter and collector of the IGBT to which said diode array is associated, said IGBTs and diode arrays connected in a circuit to provide a four-quadrant power switch, wherein the diodes in the arrays have approximately the same current and voltage rating.

2. The AC switch of claim 1 wherein the IGBTs are trench gate IGBTs.

3. The AC switch of claim 2 wherein the IGBTs are non-punch through, trench gate IGBTs.

4. The AC switch module of claim 3 wherein the wide band-gap diodes are SiC wide band-gap diodes.

5. The AC switch of claim 1 wherein the conducting paths of the diodes in the circuit arrays have approximately the same inductive impedance and resistance.

6. The AC switch of claim 1 wherein each diode in the arrays defines a circuit branch, and wherein approximately the same current flows through each diode circuit branch.

7. An AC switch comprising:

a pair of IGBTs connected in a common collector configuration and in a circuit to provide a four-quadrant AC switch, each IGBT being of the non-punch through trench gate type;

an array of diodes associated with each IGBT, each array having a plurality of wide band-gap diodes connected in parallel between the emitter and collector of its associated IGBT, such that each diode defines a circuit branch, the total current passing through the diode array associated with one of the IGBTs being approximately equal to the total current passing through the diode array associated with the other IGBT.

8. The AC switch of claim 7 wherein the branch circuits in the diode arrays have approximately the same impedance.

9. The AC switch of claim 7 wherein approximately the same current flows through each diode branch.

10. The AC switch of claim 7 wherein each diode in each array is a SiC wide band-gap diode.

11. An AC switch module comprising:

at least one AC switch, said switch comprising a pair of IGBTs connected in a common collector configuration in a circuit to provide a four-quadrant AC switch, each IGBT being of the trench gate type; and

an array of diodes associated with each IGBT, each array having a plurality of wide band-gap diodes connected in parallel between the emitter and collector of its associated IGBT, such that each diode defines a circuit branch, the total current passing through the diode array associated with one of the IGBTs being approximately equal to the total current passing through the IGBT associated with the other diode array;

a base-plate;

said IGBTs and diodes configured relative to said base-plate for the dissipation of heat generated by said IGBTs and diodes through said base-plate.

12. The AC switch module of claim 11 further comprising a substrate between said IGBTs and diodes and said base-plate to facilitate the transfer and dissipation of heat generated by the IGBTs and diodes to the base-plate.

13. The AC switch module of claim 12 wherein said substrate comprises a substrate structure.

14. The AC switch module of claim 13 wherein the substrate structure further comprises aluminum nitride layers at the top and bottom of a ceramic layer.

15. The AC switch module of claim 14 wherein said IGBTs and diodes are bonded to said substrate with high temperature solder.

16. The AC switch module of claim 15 wherein said substrate is bonded to said base-plate with high temperature solder.

17. The AC switch module of claim 11 wherein said module is adapted for mounting to a system heat sink.

18. The AC switch module of claim 11 wherein the base-plate of said module is adapted for bonding to a system heat sink using thermal grease.

19. The AC switch module of claim 11 further comprising multiple AC switches, each of said switches being of like components and like circuits.

20. An AC switch module comprising:

at least one AC switch, said switch comprising;

a pair of IGBTs connected in a common collector configuration in a circuit to provide a four-quadrant AC switch, each IGBT being of the trench gate type; and

an array of wide band-gap diodes associated with each IGBT;

said module further comprising;

a base-plate, said IGBTs and diodes configured relative to said base-plate for the dissipation of heat generated by said IGBTs and diodes through said base-plate,

the configuration of one IGBT and its associated diodes being symmetrical with respect to the configuration of the other IGBT and its associated diodes about a straight line on the plane of said base-plate.

21. The AC switch module of claim 20 wherein said straight line divides the base-plate into two equal sections.

22. The AC switch module of claim 20 further comprising a substrate between the IGBTs and diodes and said base-plate to facilitate the transfer and dissipation of heat generated by the IGBTs and diodes to the base-plate.

23. The AC switch module of claim 22 wherein said substrate further comprises a substrate structure.

24. The AC switch module of claim 23 wherein the substrate further comprises aluminum nitride layers at the top and bottom of a ceramic layer.

25. A switch module comprising:

at least one IGBT;

an array of diodes connected in an electric circuit with said IGBT; and

a base-plate, said IGBT and diodes mounted relative to said base-plate for the dissipation of heat generated by said IGBT and diodes through said base-plate, and being configured relative to said base-plate such that the IGBT and diodes are symmetrically arranged about a straight line on the plane of the base-plate.

26. The switch module of claim 25 further comprising a substrate between the IGBT and diodes and said base-plate to facilitate the transfer and dissipation of heat generated by the IGBT and diodes to the base-plate.

27. The switch module of claim 26 wherein the substrate further comprises at least one aluminum nitride layer.

28. The switch module of claim 26 wherein the IGBT is of the non-punch through, trench gate type, and each diode in the array is a wide band-gap diode.