Semiconductor package having multi-phase power inverter with internal temperature sensor

• US 9,711,437 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• 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): Gumedzoe, Peniel M
• Application Number:
  US14/152,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20140124890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• 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 2224/4911 the connectors being bonded to at least one common bonding area, e.g. daisy chain
• 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 23/34 Arrangements for cooling, heating, ventilating or temperature compensation ; Temperature sensing arrangements thermal treatment apparatus H01L21/00
• 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 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 2924/00014 : 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

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 a temperature sensor situated on the leadframe, where the temperature sensor is configured to generate a sensed temperature of the power switches. The semiconductor package also includes a driver circuit configured to drive the power switches of the multi-phase power inverter responsive to the sensed temperature. The temperature sensor can be on a common IC with the driver circuit. Furthermore, the semiconductor package can include an over-temperature protection circuit configured to provide over-temperature protection to the multi-phase power inverter using the sensed temperature.

Claims

1. A semiconductor package comprising:

a leadframe, wherein the leadframe comprises a thermally conductive material and a phase output strip extending from a first edge of said leadframe to a second edge of said leadframe opposite the first edge;

a multi-phase power inverter including power switches and situated on said leadframe of said semiconductor package;

a common integrated circuit (IC), wherein the common IC is separate from said multi-phase power inverter and situated on said leadframe;

a temperature sensor situated on said common IC, said temperature sensor configured to generate a sensed temperature of said power switches;

a driver circuit situated on said common IC, the driver circuit configured to drive said power switches of said multi-phase power inverter responsive to said sensed temperature;

an over-temperature protection circuit situated on said common IC, the over-temperature protection circuit configured to use said sensed temperature to provide over-temperature protection to said multi-phase power inverter using a plurality of temperature threshold values.

2. The semiconductor package of claim 1, further comprising a control circuit, said driver circuit configured to drive said multi-phase power inverter responsive to a control signal from said control circuit.

3. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said power switches comprise U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase power switches.

4. The semiconductor package of claim 3, wherein said U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase power switches comprise group III-V transistors.

5. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor and said driver circuit are situated on a common pad of said leadframe.

6. The semiconductor package of claim 1, further comprising wirebonds connecting said driver circuit to said multi-phase power inverter.

7. The semiconductor package of claim 1, further comprising an analog to digital converter that is configured to digitize said sensed temperature.

8. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

9. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor is within approximately 3 millimeters of each of said power switches.

10. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said leadframe is a power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) leadframe.

11. The semiconductor package of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor utilizes a diode to generate said sensed temperature.

12. A semiconductor package comprising:

a leadframe, wherein the leadframe comprises a thermally conductive material and a phase output strip extending from a first edge of said leadframe to a second edge of said leadframe opposite the first edge;

a multi-phase power inverter including power switches and situated on said leadframe of said semiconductor package;

a common integrated circuit (IC) comprising a temperature sensor that is configured to generate a sensed temperature of said power switches, wherein the common IC is separate from said multi-phase power inverter and situated on said leadframe;

said common integrated circuit configured to drive said power switches of said multi-phase power inverter responsive to said sensed temperature

an over-temperature protection circuit situated on said common IC, the over-temperature protection circuit configured to use said sensed temperature to provide over-temperature protection to said multi-phase power inverter using a plurality of temperature threshold values.

13. The semiconductor package of claim 12, wherein said common IC is further configured to control switching of said multi-phase power inverter.

14. The semiconductor package of claim 12, wherein said power switches comprise U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase power switches.

15. The semiconductor package of claim 14, wherein said U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase power switches comprise group III-V transistors.

16. The semiconductor package of claim 12, wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

17. The semiconductor package of claim 12, wherein said leadframe is a power quad flat no-lead (PQFN) leadframe.