Semiconductor module

• US 9,772,359 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2014
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirohata, Kenji, Mukai, Minoru, Monda, Tomoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nasir, Taqi
• Application Number:
  US14/501,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 324676, 32476001-76002, 32475205, 32476201, 32476206-72609, 324719, 32475421, 324347, 324444-449, 324358-359
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/16 Measuring impedance of element or network through which a current is passing from another source, e.g. cable, power line
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/64 Impedance arrangements
• 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

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor module comprises a substrate, a first wiring, an electrode pad, a junction, an oscillator, and a detector. The first wiring is disposed on the substrate, and has a characteristic impedance Z0. The electrode pad is connected to the first wiring. The junction is disposed on the electrode pad, and has an impedance Z1. The oscillator is disposed in contact with the first wiring, and oscillates a pulse wave of a voltage toward the junction via the first wiring. The detector is disposed in contact with the first wiring, and detects an output wave of the pulse wave from the junction. The characteristic impedance Z0 and the impedance Z1 satisfy a following relationship (1),

$\begin{array}{cc}\frac{Z0-Z1}{Z0}\le 0.05.& \left(1\right)\end{array}$

Claims

1. A semiconductor module comprising:

a substrate;

a first wiring disposed on the substrate;

an electrode pad connected to the first wiring;

a junction disposed between the electrode pad and another electrode pad, the junction being a material having an impedance within a predetermined range of a characteristic impedance of the first wiring,

the first wiring, the electrode pad and the junction being mechanically direct-connected;

an oscillator that oscillates a predetermined voltage signal toward the junction via the first wiring, the oscillator being connected to the first wiring;

a detector that detects the predetermined voltage signal from the junction via the first wiring, the detector being connected to the first wiring; and

an analysis unit that decides a crack area of the junction, based on an oscillation voltage signal of the first wiring oscillated by the oscillator, a voltage value of a detection voltage signal detected by the detector via the first wiring, and a table that stores a relationship among a ratio of the crack area to a section area of the junction, a voltage range including the voltage value of the detection voltage signal, and a predetermined count value of a number of times of occurrence of the voltage value within the voltage range during a predetermined pulse occurrence time,

wherein the junction is electrically inserted between the oscillator and the detector via the first wiring,

the oscillation voltage signal is a pulse wave signal,

the voltage range and the predetermined count value are stored in correspondence with respective different values of the ratio in the table,

the analysis unit makes the oscillator generate the oscillation voltage signal during the predetermined pulse occurrence time, and, when the number of times of occurrence of the voltage value within a voltage range in the table during the predetermined pulse occurrence time is larger than or equal to the predetermined count value corresponding to the voltage range in the table, decides the crack area based on a value of the ratio corresponding to the voltage range in the table.

2. The semiconductor module according to claim 1, wherein

the predetermined count value in the table is a smaller value if the voltage value of the detection voltage signal is a larger value.

3. An electronic device on which the semiconductor module of claim 1 is loaded.

4. An electronic device on which the semiconductor module of claim 2 is loaded.

5. A method for deciding a crack area of a junction disposed between a first electrode pad and a second electrode pad, the first electrode pad being connected to a first wiring disposed on a substrate in a semiconductor module, the junction being a material having an impedance within a predetermined range of a characteristic impedance of the first wiring, the first wiring, the first electrode pad and the junction being mechanically direct-connected,

the method comprising:

oscillating, by an oscillator, a predetermined voltage signal toward the junction via the first wiring, the oscillator being connected to the first wiring;

detecting, by a detector, the predetermined voltage signal from the junction via the first wiring, the detector being connected to the first wiring; and

deciding the crack area of the junction, based on an oscillation voltage signal of the first wiring oscillated by the oscillator, a voltage value of a detection voltage signal detected by the detector via the first wiring, and a table that stores a relationship among a ratio of the crack area to a section area of the junction, a voltage range including the voltage value of the detection voltage signal, and a predetermined count value of a number of times of occurrence of occurrence of the voltage signal within a voltage range during a predetermined pulse occurrence time,

wherein the junction is electrically inserted between the oscillator and the detector via the first wiring,

the oscillation voltage signal is a pulse wave signal,

the voltage range and the predetermined count value are stored in correspondence with respective different values of the ratio in the table,

the deciding includes

making the oscillator generate the oscillation voltage signal during the predetermined pulse occurrence time, and

when the number of times of occurrence of the voltage value within a voltage range in the table during the predetermined pulse occurrence time is larger than or equal to the predetermined count value corresponding to the voltage range in the table, deciding the crack area based on a value of the ratio corresponding to the voltage range in the table.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein

the predetermined count value in the table is a smaller value if the voltage value of the detection voltage signal is a larger value.

7. An electronic device on which the semiconductor module of claim 5 is loaded.

8. An electronic device on which the semiconductor module of claim 6 is loaded.