High voltage power module

• US 9,839,146 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wolfspeed, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cole, Zachary, Passmore, Brandon
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOA CAO
• Application Number:
  US14/918,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20170112005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4093 Snap-on arrangements, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5382 Adaptable interconnections, e.g. for engineering changes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/72 Detachable connecting means consisting of mechanical auxiliary parts connecting the device, e.g. pressure contacts using springs or clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/072 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/115 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/162 the devices being mounted on two or more different substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1608 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78 with field effect produced by an insulated gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/088 for the simultaneous control of series or parallel connected semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0298 Multilayer circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/142 Arrangements of planar printed circuit boards in the same plane, e.g. auxiliary printed circuit insert mounted in a main printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10363 Jumpers, i.e. non-printed cross-over connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0065 wherein modules are associated together, e.g. electromechanical assemblies, modular structures
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0069 having connector relating features for connecting the connector pins with the PCB or for mounting the connector body with the housing

Abstract

A power module includes a number of sub-modules connected via removable jumpers. The removable jumpers allow the connections between one or more power semiconductor die in the sub-modules to be reconfigured, such that when the removable jumpers are provided, the power module has a first function and when the removable jumpers are removed, the power module has a second function. The removable jumpers may also allow for independent testing of the sub-modules. The power module may also include a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB), which is used to connect one or more contacts of the power semiconductor die. The multi-layer PCB reduces stray inductance between the contacts and therefore improves the performance of the power module.

Claims

1. A power module comprising:

a power substrate;

a first power semiconductor die on the power substrate and comprising a first contact and a second contact;

a second power semiconductor die on the power substrate and comprising a first contact and a second contact; and

a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) over the power substrate, the first power semiconductor die, and the second power semiconductor die and coupled between the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die such that;

a first conductive layer of the multi-layer PCB is coupled between the first contact of the first power semiconductor die and the first contact of the second power semiconductor die;

a second conductive layer of the multi-layer PCB is coupled between the second contact of the first power semiconductor die and the second contact of the second power semiconductor die; and

the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are separated by an insulating layer.

2. The power module of claim 1 wherein the power module is configured to block at least 3 kV.

3. The power module of claim 1 wherein the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die are metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).

4. The power module of claim 3 wherein the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die comprise silicon carbide.

5. The power module of claim 3 wherein:

the first contact of the first power semiconductor die and the first contact of the second power semiconductor die are gate contacts; and

the second contact of the first power semiconductor die and the second contact of the second power semiconductor die are source contacts.

6. The power module of claim 1 further comprising:

a first electrical connector coupled to the first conductive layer; and

a second electrical connector coupled to the second conductive layer.

7. The power module of claim 6 wherein an inductance between the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector is less than about 15 nH.

8. The power module of claim 6 wherein the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector are provided in a micro-coaxial (MCX) connector.

9. The power module of claim 1 wherein the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die are part of a plurality of semiconductor die coupled in series between a third electrical connector and a fourth electrical connector.

10. The power module of claim 9 wherein the third electrical connector and the fourth electrical connector are bolted connectors with a width greater than about 30 mm.

11. The power module of claim 10 wherein an inductance between the third electrical connector and the fourth electrical connector is less than about 20 nH.

12. The power module of claim 1 wherein a width of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer is greater than 10 mm.

13. The power module of claim 12 wherein the width of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer is between 10 mm and 50 mm.

14. A power module comprising:

a power substrate;

a first power semiconductor die on the power substrate and comprising a first contact and a second contact;

a second power semiconductor die on the power substrate and comprising a first contact and a second contact; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) over the power substrate, the first power semiconductor die, and the second power semiconductor die and coupled between the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die such that;

a first conductive layer of the PCB is coupled between the first contact of the first power semiconductor die and the first contact of the second power semiconductor die;

a second conductive layer of the PCB is coupled between the second contact of the first power semiconductor die and the second contact of the second power semiconductor die; and

the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer have a width greater than 10 mm.

15. The power module of claim 14 wherein the power module is configured to block at least 3 kV.

16. The power module of claim 14 wherein the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die are metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs).

17. The power module of claim 16 wherein the first power semiconductor die and the second power semiconductor die comprise silicon carbide.

18. The power module of claim 16 wherein:

the first contact of the first power semiconductor die and the first contact of the second power semiconductor die are gate contacts; and

the second contact of the first power semiconductor die and the second contact of the second power semiconductor die are source contacts.

19. The power module of claim 14 further comprising:

a first electrical connector coupled to the first conductive layer of the PCB; and

a second electrical connector coupled to the second conductive layer of the PCB.

20. The power module of claim 19 wherein an inductance between the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector is less than 15 nH.