Semiconductor module and inverter device

• US 7,755,898 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsuruoka, Junji, Yasui, Seiji, Aoki, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US12/078,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20080291710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 361/710, 361/699, 361/702
• US Class Current: 361/710
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/73 Means for bonding being of different types provided for in two or more of groups H01L24/10, H01L24/18, H01L24/26, H01L24/34, H01L24/42, H01L24/50, H01L24/63, H01L24/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/16 the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
• 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 2924/1305 Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13055 Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
• 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 semiconductor module includes a base plate; a plurality of substrates placed on one surface of the base plate, with each substrate of the plurality of substrates including a switching element, a diode element, and a connection terminal area; and a parallel flow forming device that forms parallel coolant flow paths that are provided so as to be in contact with the other.

Claims

1. A semiconductor module comprising:

a base plate;

a plurality of substrates placed on one surface of the base plate, with each substrate of the plurality of substrates including a switching element, a diode element, and a connection terminal area; and

a parallel flow forming device that forms parallel coolant flow paths that are provided so as to be in contact with the other surface of the base plate, wherein;

the coolant flow paths are formed such that coolant flows in a coolant flow direction,

the switching element and the diode element are disposed in series in the coolant flow direction in each of the substrates,

the switching element and the connection terminal area are disposed at positions that differ in a perpendicular direction with respect to the coolant flow direction in each of the substrates,

a pair of substrates of the plurality of substrates is disposed in series in the coolant flow direction,

the switching element is arranged on a first side in the perpendicular direction for one substrate of the pair of substrates and on a second side in the perpendicular direction for the other substrate of the pair of substrates, and

the connection terminal area is arranged on the second side in the perpendicular direction for the one substrate of the pair of substrates and on the first side in the perpendicular direction for the other substrate of the pair of substrates.

2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the pair of substrates have an identical structure with each other and are arranged to be point symmetrical.

3. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the diode elements of the pair of substrates are arranged closer to a side that is between the pair of substrates with respect to the switching elements of the pair of substrates.

4. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the parallel flow forming device is a plurality of fins that are arranged parallel with each other along the other surface of the base plate.

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

a temperature detecting device that detects a temperature of the switching elements of both substrates of the pair of substrates, wherein the temperature detecting device is provided for the switching element of the substrate arranged on a downstream side of the coolant flow direction.

6. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the pair of substrates is provided with one of a pair of a lower arm switching element and an upper arm switching element.

7. The semiconductor module according to claim 6, further comprising:

a temperature detecting device that is mounted on the lower arm switching element, wherein temperature detection is carried out for temperature control of the switching elements of both substrates of the pair of substrates.

8. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of substrates includes six substrates, each pair of a lower arm switching element and an upper arm switching element of each phase forming a three-phase AC inverter circuit that is placed on the one surface of the base plate.

9. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein the diode element is arranged on the first side in the perpendicular direction for the one substrate of the pair of substrates and on the second side in the perpendicular direction for the other substrate of the pair of substrates.

10. An inverter device including the semiconductor module according to claim 1.

11. A semiconductor module comprising:

a base plate;

a plurality of substrates placed on one surface of the base plate, with each substrate of the plurality of substrates including a switching element, a diode element, and a connection terminal area; and

a parallel flow forming device that forms parallel coolant flow paths that are provided so as to be in contact with the other surface of the base plate, wherein;

the coolant flow paths are formed such that coolant flows in a coolant flow direction,

the switching element and the diode element are disposed in series in the coolant flow direction in each of the substrates,

the switching element and the connection terminal area are disposed at positions that differ in a perpendicular direction with respect to the coolant flow direction in each of the substrates,

a pair of substrates of the plurality of substrates is disposed in series in the coolant flow direction, and

the switching element for one substrate of the pair of substrates and the connection terminal area for the other substrate of the pair of substrates overlaps in the perpendicular direction.

12. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein the pair of substrates have an identical structure with each other and are arranged to be point symmetrical.

13. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein one or both of the diode elements of the pair of substrates are arranged closer to a side that is between the pair of substrates with respect to the switching elements of the pair of substrates.

14. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein the parallel flow forming device is a plurality of fins that are arranged parallel with each other along the other surface of the base plate.

15. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, further comprising:

a temperature detecting device that detects a temperature of the switching elements of both substrates of the pair of substrates, wherein the temperature detecting device is provided for the switching element of the substrate arranged on a downstream side of the coolant flow direction.

16. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein the pair of substrates is provided with one of a pair of a lower arm switching element and an upper arm switching element.

17. The semiconductor module according to claim 16, further comprising:

a temperature detecting device that is mounted on the lower arm switching element, wherein temperature detection is carried out for temperature control of the switching elements of both substrates of the pair of substrates.

18. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of substrates includes six substrates, each pair of a lower arm switching element and an upper arm switching element of each phase forming a three-phase AC inverter circuit that is placed on the one surface of the base plate.

19. The semiconductor module according to claim 11, wherein the diode element for the one substrate of the pair of substrates does not overlap the diode element for the other substrate of the pair of substrates.

20. An inverter device including the semiconductor module according to claim 11.