Power module

• US 7,215,023 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2002
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Graf, Werner, Wagner, Bernhard, Baeumel, Hermann, Kilian, Hermann, Briggs, William T., George, Dietrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Minhloan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodela; Eduardo A.
• Application Number:
  US10/503,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20050168197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 257/724, 257/E25.029, 361/717, 361/738
• US Class Current: 257/724
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0603 Bonding areas having different sizes, e.g. different heights or widths
• 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 2224/48139 with an intermediate bond, e.g. continuous wire daisy chain
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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 2924/00014 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 2924/10253 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30107 Inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/092 Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/167 incorporating printed resistors

Abstract

A power module includes at least one carrier body for mounting at least one power component thereon, and at least one energy storage component. For this purpose, a hybrid circuit is arranged as a thick film circuit on at least one of the carrier bodies, and the hybrid circuit includes at least one thick film resistor as a discharging resistor for discharging the at least one energy storage component. The power module is adapted for use as a power converter for electric motors.

Claims

1. Power module (1) with at least one carrier body (2) including a first carrier body with conductor paths thereon, at least one power semiconductor element mounted on said conductor paths on said first carrier body, and at least one component (52) as an energy store, characterized in that a hybrid circuit (8) is arranged as a thick film circuit on said first carrier body, which hybrid circuit comprises at least one thick film resistor (53) as a discharging resistor for discharging the at least one component (52) provided as an energy store.

2. Power module according to claim 1, characterized in that the discharging resistor is divided into at least two parallel-connected partial resistors, and in that the partial resistors are arranged as thick film resistors (53) in at least one hybrid circuit (8) on at least one of the carrier bodies (2).

3. Power module according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one hybrid circuit (8) comprises at least one sensor (5).

4. Power module according to claim 3, characterized in that the sensor comprises a temperature sensor (54) for thermal monitoring of the at least one power semiconductor element (51).

5. Power module according to claim 1, characterized in that the hybrid circuit (8) is contacted with a conductor path structure (3) including said conductor paths on a top surface (21) of said first carrier body (2) via bond wires (71).

6. Power module according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one carrier body (2) consists of an insulating material with high thermal conductivity.

7. Power module according to claim 6, characterized in that the at least one carrier body (2) consists of a ceramic material.

8. Power module according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one carrier body (2) is arranged on a cooling body (41).

9. Power module according to claim 8, characterized in that the cooling body (41) is connected to a cooling system (4).

10. Power module according to claim 9, characterized in that the cooling body (41) is integrated in a cooling circuit (43) of the cooling system (4).

11. Power module according to claim 8, characterized in that the cooling body (41) is connected with a bottom surface (22) of the carrier body (2) via a metallization layer.

12. Power module according to claim 1, characterized in that a conductor path structure (3) including said conductor paths on a top surface (21) of the first carrier body (2) further includes mounting surfaces (32) for mounting the at least one power semiconductor element (51), contact locations (33) for contacting the at least one power semiconductor element (51), and connection surfaces (34) for connecting contacting elements (71) and/or connection contacts (6).

13. Power module according to claim 1, characterized in that a hybrid circuit (8) comprises a switching element (55) for the controlled activation of the discharging process for discharging the at least one component (52) provided as an energy store.

14. Power module according to claim 13, characterized in that the switching element (55) is embodied as a switching transistor.

15. A power module comprising:

a first carrier body;

a conductor path structure provided on a surface of said first carrier body;

a power semiconductor element mounted directly onto said conductor path structure on said first carrier body;

an energy storage component;

a conductive circuit that includes a switching element; and

a thick film discharging resistor included in a hybrid thick film circuit arranged on said first carrier body, wherein said thick film discharging resistor is connected selectively through said switching element to said energy storage component so as to completely discharge energy stored in said energy storage component.

16. The power module according to claim 15, further comprising a cooling body on which said first carrier body is arranged, and wherein said switching element is also included in said hybrid thick film circuit arranged on said first carrier body.

17. The power module according to claim 15, wherein said thick film discharging resistor has a resistance of 75 Ω

.

18. The power module according to claim 15, wherein said thick film discharging resistor has a resistance of 225 Ω

.

19. Power module (1) with a carrier body (2) having conductor paths thereon and at least one power semiconductor element mounted directly on said conductor paths on said carrier body, and with at least one energy storage component (52), characterized in that a hybrid circuit (8) is arranged as a thick film circuit on said carrier body, which hybrid circuit comprises at least one thick film resistor (53) as discharging resistor means for completely discharging the at least one energy storage component (52).