Semiconductor package having an over-temperature protection circuit utilizing multiple temperature threshold values

• US 9,620,954 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp. (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Fernando, Dean, Barbosa, Roel, Takahashi, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Gblende, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/152,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20140126256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 363 50, 363 55, 363 5601- 5604, 363144-147
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0603 Bonding areas having different sizes, e.g. different heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29101 the principal constituent melting at a temperature of less than 400°C
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2929 with a principal constituent of the material being a polymer, e.g. polyester, phenolic based polymer, epoxy
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/29339 Silver [Ag] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 Copper (Cu) 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 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4903 Connectors having different sizes, e.g. different diameters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3107 the device being completely enclosed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49513 having bonding material between chip and die pad
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4952 the additional leads being a bump or a wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49541 Geometry of the lead-frame
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49548 : Cross section geometry H01L23/49562 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49562 : for devices being provided for in H01L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49575 : Assemblies of semiconductor devices on lead frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/29 : of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 : of an individual layer connector
• 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 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 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 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 : Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 : Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 : Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• 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 2924/13064 : High Electron Mobility Transistor [HEMT, HFET [heterostructure FET], MODFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20753 : larger or equal to 30 microns less than 40 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/20755 : larger or equal to 50 microns less than 60 microns
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30111 : matching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3512 : Cracking
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/122 : for inverters, i.e. dc/ac converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 : in a bridge configuration

Abstract

According to an exemplary implementation, a semiconductor package includes a multi-phase power inverter having power switches and situated on a leadframe of the semiconductor package. The semiconductor package further includes an over-temperature protection circuit configured to reduce current through the power switches based on multiple temperature threshold values of the power switches and a sensed temperature of the power switches. The over-temperature protection circuit can be configured to enter first and second modes based on the multiple temperature threshold values and the sensed temperature, where the second mode reduces current through the power switches to a greater extent than the first mode.

Claims

1. A semiconductor package comprising:

a multi-phase power inverter having power switches and situated on a leadframe of said semiconductor package, said power switches including at least one high side switch and at least one low side switch; and

an over-temperature protection circuit configured to reduce current through said power switches based on multiple temperature threshold values of said power switches and a sensed temperature of said power switches, wherein said over-temperature protection circuit is configured to;

in response to determining that said sensed temperature is greater than a first temperature threshold value of said multiple temperature threshold values and is less than a second temperature threshold value of said multiple temperature threshold values, disable switching of said at least one high side power switch and refrain from disabling switching of said at least one low side power switch; and

in response to determining that said sensed temperature is greater than said second temperature threshold value, periodically disable switching of said at least one high side switch and said at least one low side switch.

2. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein periodically disabling switching of said at least one high side switch and said at least one low side switch reduces current through said power switches to a greater extent than disabling switching of said at least one high side power switch and refraining from disabling switching of said at least one low side power switch.

3. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said multiple temperature threshold values comprise at least three temperature threshold values.

4. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said over-temperature protection circuit is further configured to completely disable switching of all of said power switches based on said sensed temperature exceeding a third temperature threshold value of said multiple temperature threshold values.

5. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said sensed temperature is from a temperature sensor that is situated on said leadframe of said semiconductor package.

6. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said sensed temperature is from a temperature sensor that is on a common integrated circuit (IC) with said over-temperature protection circuit.

7. The semiconductor package of claim 1, comprising a driver circuit configured to drive said multi-phase power inverter responsive to a control signal from a control circuit, said driver circuit on a common IC with said over-temperature protection circuit.

8. The semiconductor package of claim 1, comprising a driver circuit configured to drive said multi-phase power inverter responsive to a control signal from a control circuit, said control circuit on a common IC with said over-temperature protection circuit.

9. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said power switches comprise group III-V transistors.

10. A semiconductor package comprising:

a multi-phase power inverter having power switches and situated on a leadframe of said semiconductor package, said power switches including at least one high side switch and at least one low side switch;

an over-temperature protection circuit configured to

in response to determining that a sensed temperature of said power switches is greater than a first temperature threshold value and is less than a second temperature threshold value, enter a first mode that reduces current through said power switches; and

in response to determining that said sensed temperature is greater than said second temperature threshold value and is less than a third temperature threshold value, enter a second mode that reduces current through said power switches;

wherein said first mode disables switching of said at least one high side power switch and refrains from disabling switching of said at least one low side power switch; and

wherein said second mode periodically disables switching of said at least one high side power switch and said at least one low side switch.

11. The semiconductor package of claim 10, wherein said second mode reduces current through said power switches to a greater extent than said first mode.

12. The semiconductor package of claim 10, wherein said over-temperature protection circuit is further configured to:

in response to determining that said sensed temperature is greater than said third temperature threshold value, enter a third mode that reduces current through said power switches,

wherein said third mode reduces current through said power switches to a greater extent than said second mode.

13. The semiconductor package of claim 12, wherein said third mode comprises completely disabling switching of all of said power switches.

14. The semiconductor package of claim 10, wherein said sensed temperature is from a temperature sensor that is situated on said leadframe of said semiconductor package.

15. The semiconductor package of claim 10, wherein said sensed temperature is from a temperature sensor that is on a common integrated circuit (IC) with said over-temperature protection circuit.

16. The semiconductor package of claim 10, comprising a driver circuit configured to drive said multi-phase power inverter responsive to a control signal from a control circuit, said driver circuit on a common IC with said over-temperature protection circuit.

17. The semiconductor package of claim 10, comprising a driver circuit configured to drive said multi-phase power inverter responsive to a control signal from a control circuit, said control circuit on a common IC with said over-temperature protection circuit.

18. The semiconductor package of claim 10, wherein said power switches comprise group III-V transistors.