Capacitor module and semiconductor device using the same

• US 7,151,661 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimura, Tohru, Nakajima, Dai, Kuramoto, Yuuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Eric W.
• Application Number:
  US10/114,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20020158329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 361/306.1, 361/306.2, 361/306.3, 361/308.1, 361/308.2, 361/308.3, 361/309, 361/311, 361/738, 361/772, 361/773, 361/774, 361/782, 361/760
• US Class Current: 361/306.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/228 Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45124 Aluminium (Al) 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 2224/48139 with an intermediate bond, e.g. continuous wire daisy chain
• 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 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/11 the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L29/00
• 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 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A capacitor module incorporating a ceramic capacitor having terminal members for reducing stress caused by thermal stress or electrostriction in the ceramic capacitor itself, and a semiconductor device using the capacitor module. The capacitor module and the semiconductor device are designed to have a reduced size and improved reliability. The semiconductor device has a power converter circuit constituted by switching devices and diodes, a P-polarity conductor and an N-polarity conductor for supplying electric power to the power converter circuit, a ceramic capacitor having two external electrodes, flexible terminal members connected to the external electrodes, a heat radiation plate provided at the bottom of a case, an insulating resin with which the power converter circuit is covered, a P-polarity connection conductor for connection between the terminal member on one side of the ceramic capacitor and the P-polarity conductor, an N-polarity connection conductor for connection between the terminal member on the other side of the ceramic capacitor and the N-polarity conductor, and a molded wiring plate on which a major surface of the ceramic capacitor is supported.

Claims

1. A capacitor module comprising:

a ceramic capacitor having major surfaces facing in opposite directions, side surfaces facing in other opposite directions, and external electrodes respectively provided on the side surfaces facing in other opposite directions;

terminal members respectively joined to the external electrodes of said ceramic capacitor, said terminal members having electrical conductivity and flexibility;

a P-polarity connection conductor which connects said terminal member on one side of said ceramic capacitor to a P-polarity conductor provided outside;

an N-polarity connection conductor which connects said terminal member on the other side of said ceramic capacitor to an N-polarity conductor provided outside; and

a wiring plate provided with said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor, the major surface of said ceramic capacitor being supported on said wiring plate;

wherein a flexible member is disposed between said ceramic capacitor and said wiring plate.

2. A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein each of said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor is formed integrally with said terminal member.

3. A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor are placed parallel to each other by being spaced apart by a predetermined distance, with an insulating layer disposed therebetween.

4. A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein said wiring plate is formed of a synthetic resin which is molded so that said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor are embedded in and integrally combined with the synthetic resin.

5. A capacitor module according to claim 1, wherein said external electrodes of said ceramic capacitor or said terminal members connected to said external electrodes are jointed to said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor by solid phase joining.

6. A semiconductor device comprising:

a power converter circuit constituted by switching devices and diodes and having a plurality of phases;

a P-polarity conductor and an N-polarity conductor for supplying electric power to the respective phases of said power converter circuit;

a capacitor module connected to said P-polarity conductor and said N-polarity conductor;

a case in which said power converter circuit, said P-polarity conductor, said N-polarity conductor, and said capacitor module are accommodated;

a heat radiation plate provided at a bottom of said case; and

an insulating resin with which at least said power converter circuit is covered,

wherein said capacitor module comprises;

a ceramic capacitor having major surfaces facing in opposite directions, side surfaces facing in other opposite directions, and external electrodes respectively provided on the side surfaces facing in other opposite directions;

terminal members respectively joined to the external electrodes of said ceramic capacitor, said terminal members having electrical conductivity and flexibility;

a P-polarity connection conductor which connects said terminal member on one side of said ceramic capacitor to said P-polarity conductor;

an N-polarity connection conductor which connects said terminal member on the other side of said ceramic capacitor to said N-polarity conductor; and

a wiring plate provided with said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor, the major surface of said ceramic capacitor being supported on said wiring plate;

wherein a flexible member is disposed between said ceramic capacitor and said wiring plate.

7. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein each of said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor is formed integrally with said terminal member.

8. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, further comprising a partition member provided in said case to separate a region for said power converter circuit and a region for said ceramic capacitor from each other.

9. A semiconductor device according to claim 8, wherein an insulating member for thermal connection between said P-polarity and N-polarity conductors and said heat radiation plate is provided at least between said P-polarity and N-polarity conductors and said heat radiation plate in the region for said ceramic capacitor partitioned by said partition member.

10. A semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein said insulating member comprises a silicone rubber sheet.

11. A semiconductor device according to claim 9, wherein said insulating member is an epoxy resin.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor are placed parallel to each other by being spaced apart by a predetermined distance, with an insulating layer provided therebetween.

13. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said wiring plate is formed of a synthetic resin which is molded so that said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor are embedded in and integrally combined with the synthetic resin.

14. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein the external electrodes of said ceramic capacitor or said terminal members connected to the external electrodes are jointed to said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor by solid phase joining.

15. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor are screwed to said P-polarity conductor and said N-polarity conductor directly or with an electroconductive connection member provided therebetween.

16. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor are fixed by an electroconductive fixing material having thermal conductivity to said P-polarity conductor and said N-polarity conductor directly or with an electroconductive connection member provided therebetween.

17. A semiconductor device according to claim 6, wherein said P-polarity connection conductor and said N-polarity connection conductor are welded to said P-polarity conductor and said N-polarity conductor directly or with an electroconductive connection member provided therebetween.