Cooling system for molded modules and corresponding manufacturing methods

• US 9,449,895 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Yoo, Inpil, Castro Serrato, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thao X
• Assistant Examiner(s): OAKLEY, JOHN-ROLF
• Application Number:
  US13/886,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 257/713, 257/714, 438/125, 438/126
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4803 Insulating or insulated parts, e.g. mountings, containers, diamond heatsinks H01L21/4846 takes precedence; printed circuit boards H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4882 Assembly of heatsink parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/565 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/28 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulating layers, coatings, e.g. for protectionH01L23/552 takes precedence; insulating layers for contacts or interconnections H01L23/5329
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/29 characterised by the material , e.g. carbon interlayer dielectrics H01L23/5329
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3107 the device being completely enclosed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/44 the complete device being wholly immersed in a fluid other than air H01L23/427 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A cooling system for molded modules includes a plurality of individual modules each including a semiconductor die encapsulated by a mold compound, a plurality of leads electrically connected to the semiconductor die and at least partly uncovered by the mold compound, and a cooling plate at least partly uncovered by the mold compound. A molded body surrounds a periphery of each individual module to form a multi-die module. The leads of each individual module and the cooling plates are at least partly uncovered by the molded body. A lid with a port is attached to a periphery of the molded body at a first side of the multi-die module. The lid seals the multi-die module at the first side to form a cavity between the lid and the molded body for permitting fluid exiting or entering the port to contact the cooling plates of each individual module.

Claims

1. A cooling system for molded modules, comprising:

a plurality of individual modules each comprising a semiconductor die encapsulated by a mold compound, a plurality of leads electrically connected to the semiconductor die and at least partly uncovered by the mold compound, and a cooling plate at least partly uncovered by the mold compound;

a plastic body molded onto a periphery of each individual module so as to form a multi-die module having a molded connection between the plastic body and the periphery of the individual modules without bolt or screw connections, with the leads of each individual module and the cooling plates being at least partly uncovered by the plastic body, wherein a portion of the plastic body occupies at least a portion of a gap between two adjacent ones of the individual modules; and

a lid with a port attached to a periphery of the plastic body at a first side of the multi-die module,

wherein a direct seal is formed between the lid and the multi-die module at the first side without O-rings so as to form a cavity between the lid and the plastic body for permitting fluid exiting or entering the port to contact the cooling plates of each individual module.

2. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein each individual module has a pair of spaced apart cooling plates at opposing sides of the individual module with the semiconductor die interposed between the pair of cooling plates, wherein each pair of cooling plates is at least partly uncovered by the plastic body at opposing first and second sides of the multi-die module, and wherein each pair of cooling plates is open to the cavity.

3. The cooling system of claim 2, further comprising a base plate attached to the periphery of the plastic body at the second side of the multi-die module, the base plate sealing the multi-die module at the second side of the multi-die module.

4. The cooling system of claim 3, wherein the cavity comprises a first part between the lid and the plastic body and a second part between the base plate and the plastic body, and wherein the plastic body has an open passageway at opposing ends of the plastic body which connect the first and second parts of the cavity.

5. The cooling system of claim 4, wherein the port of the lid is an inlet port configured to intake a fluid into the first and second parts of the cavity in parallel, and wherein the lid further has an outlet port at the same side as the inlet port configured to exhaust the fluid from the first and second parts of the cavity in parallel.

6. The cooling system of claim 2, further comprising an additional lid attached to the periphery of the plastic body at the second side of the multi-die module, the additional lid sealing the multi-die module at the second side of the multi-die module, wherein the port of the lid is configured to intake a fluid into the cavity, and wherein the additional lid has an outlet port configured to exhaust the fluid from the cavity.

7. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the leads of each individual module protrude out of the plastic body.

8. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the lid comprises plastic and is plastic welded to the periphery of the plastic body to seal the multi-die module at the first side of the multi-die module and form the cavity between the lid and the plastic body.

9. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the lid is over-molded to the periphery of the plastic body to seal the multi-die module at the first side of the multi-die module and form the cavity between the lid and the plastic body.

10. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the lid is attached to the periphery of the plastic body by an adhesive to seal the multi-die module at the first side of the multi-die module and form the cavity between the lid and the plastic body.

11. The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the cooling plates have surface structures at a side of the cooling plates open to the cavity for increasing the turbulence of fluid flowing in the cavity over the cooling plates.

12. A method of manufacturing a cooling system for molded modules, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of individual modules each comprising a semiconductor die encapsulated by a mold compound, a plurality of leads electrically connected to the semiconductor die and at least partly uncovered by the mold compound, and a cooling plate at least partly uncovered by the mold compound;

molding a plastic body onto a periphery of each individual module to form a multi-die module having a molded connection between the plastic body and the periphery of the individual modules without bolt or screw connections, with the leads of each individual module and the cooling plates being at least partly uncovered by the plastic body, wherein a portion of the plastic body occupies at least a portion of a gap between two adjacent ones of the individual modules; and

attaching a lid with a port to a periphery of the plastic body at a first side of the multi-die module, wherein a direct seal is formed between the lid and the multi-die module at the first side without O-rings so as to form a cavity between the lid and the plastic body for permitting fluid exiting or entering the port to contact the cooling plates of each individual module.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each individual module has a pair of spaced apart cooling plates at opposing sides of the individual module with the semiconductor die interposed between the pair of cooling plates, wherein each pair of cooling plates is at least partly uncovered by the plastic body at opposing first and second sides of the multi-die module, and wherein each pair of cooling plates is open to the cavity.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising attaching a base plate to the periphery of the plastic body at the second side of the multi-die module, the base plate sealing the multi-die module at the second side of the multi-die module.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cavity comprises a first part between the lid and the plastic body and a second part between the base plate and the plastic body, and wherein the plastic body has an open passageway at opposing ends of the plastic body which connect the first and second parts of the cavity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the port of the lid is an inlet port configured to intake a fluid into the first and second parts of the cavity in parallel, and wherein the lid further has an outlet port at the same side as the inlet port configured to exhaust the fluid from the first and second parts of the cavity in parallel.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising attaching an additional lid to the periphery of the plastic body at the second side of the multi-die module, the additional lid sealing the multi-die module at the second side of the multi-die module, wherein the port of the lid is configured to intake a fluid into the cavity, and wherein the additional lid has an outlet port configured to exhaust the fluid from the cavity.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the lid and the base plate each comprise plastic, and wherein attaching the lid to the periphery of the plastic body at the first side of the multi-die module and attaching the base plate to the periphery of the plastic body at the second side of the multi-die module comprises:

positioning the base plate on a support base so that openings in the base plate align with corresponding posts of the support base;

positioning the plastic body on the base plate so that openings in the plastic body align with the posts of the support base;

positioning the lid on the plastic body so that openings in the lid align with the posts of the support base;

plastic welding the lid to the periphery of the plastic body at the first side of the multi-die module; and

plastic welding the base plate to the periphery of the plastic body at the second side of the multi-die module.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the lid is a plastic lid and attaching the lid to the periphery of the plastic body comprises plastic welding the plastic lid to the periphery of the plastic body to seal the multi-die module at the first side of the multi-die module and form the cavity between the lid and the plastic body.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching the lid to the periphery of the plastic body comprises over-molding the lid to the periphery of the plastic body to seal the multi-die module at the first side of the multi-die module and form the cavity between the lid and the plastic body.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching the lid to the periphery of the plastic body comprises gluing the lid to the periphery of the plastic body to seal the multi-die module at the first side of the multi-die module and form the cavity between the lid and the plastic body.