DE102022202894A1 - POWER MODULE AND METHOD FOR MOUNTING A POWER MODULE - Google Patents

Abstract

A power module (20) is provided. The power module (20) comprises: a carrier (22); at least one electronic component (24, 26) mounted on the carrier (22); at least one wire bond (28) which couples the electronic component (42) to another electronic component (24, 26) of the power module (20) or to an electrical line of the carrier (22), the wire bond (28) having a bend ( 29) forms; a control board (40) which is arranged on the carrier (22) above the electronic component (24, 26) and a connection (48) for electrically contacting the control board (40) and at least one through recess (42) which extends through the Control board (40) extends, includes; and an electrically conductive part at the through-hole (42), the electrically conductive part being electrically coupled to the terminal (48), the wire bond (28) and the through-hole (42) being formed and arranged such that the bend ( 29) of the wire bonding (28) extends at least into the passage recess (42), and the bend (29) is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive part.

Description

The invention relates to a power module and a method for producing the power module.

A conventional power module may include a carrier, an electronic component mounted on the carrier, and a driver board. The carrier may comprise a DBC (Direct Bonded Copper) substrate or an insulated metal substrate (IMS). The control board can be designed to electrically contact and/or control the electronic component that is mounted on the carrier.

The electronic component may include an active electronic component and/or a passive electronic component. The passive electronic component may include a resistor, a capacitor and/or a conductor. The active electronic component may include a chip and/or a transistor. The active electronic component can be designed as a high-speed switching device. The active electronic component can be designed as a high-performance semiconductor device. The power module may include two or more electronic components, where some of the electronic components may be located on the carrier and some of the electronic components may be located on the control board.

In a conventional power module structure, the electronic components mounted on the carrier may be electrically contacted with other components mounted on the carrier or directly with the carrier via one or more corresponding bonding wires. The control board can be electrically and/or mechanically coupled to the carrier via one or more electrically conductive pins. However, the pins can introduce large inductance into the power module. The large inductance can affect the electronic components and/or functions of the electronic components, particularly if the electronic components are semiconductor chips, e.g. B. based on SiC, GaN or GaO, and / or if the electronic components include one or more switching devices, e.g. B. high-speed switching devices.

Alternatively, the control board may be directly coupled to the electronic components without any pin. This can reduce the inductance, but some new problems can arise. For example, electrical contacts of the electronic components may be too close together for soldering the control board to the electronic components, which may result in short circuits. In addition, a tolerance of a position of the electronic component on the carrier can be greatly limited. Furthermore, a thermal expansion coefficient of the electronic components can differ greatly from a thermal expansion coefficient of the control board. This can result in cracking of the solder that couples the drive board to the electronic components when a temperature of the power module changes. Furthermore, a coupling between the electronic component and the driving board may not be strong enough and the electronic component may be easily separated from the driving board.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a power module comprising at least one electronic component on a carrier coupled to a drive board, wherein coupling between the electronic component, the carrier and/or the drive board introduces only a small inductance , and/or wherein the power module enables high performance of the electronic component.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of mounting a power module comprising at least one electronic component on a carrier coupled to a drive board, the method contributing to a coupling between the electronic component to the carrier and/or the control board only introduces a small inductance, and/or that the power module enables high performance of the electronic component.

The goals are achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

One aspect concerns a performance module. The power module includes: a carrier; at least one electronic component mounted on the carrier; at least one wire bond that couples the electronic component to another electronic component of the power module or to an electrical line of the carrier, the wire bond forming a bend; a drive board disposed on the carrier above the electronic component and comprising a terminal for electrically contacting the drive board and at least one through recess extending through the drive board; and one electrically conductive part in the through-hole, the electrically conductive part being electrically coupled to the terminal, the wire bond and the through-hole being formed and arranged such that the bend of the wire bond extends at least into the through-hole, and the bend is electrically connected to the electrically conductive part is coupled.

The electronic component is coupled to the control board via the bend of the wire bond and the electrically conductive part at the through hole. Coupling the bend of the wire bond to the electrically conductive part of the drive board introduces only a small inductance. Therefore, coupling the electronic component to the control board introduces only a small inductance. Accordingly, the electronic component can be operated with high performance. This can contribute to high performance of the power module.

The carrier may include an electrically conductive first layer, an electrically insulating second layer on the first layer and an electrically conductive third layer on the second layer. The carrier may be provided for supporting and cooling the electronic component. In this context, the carrier can be referred to as a heat sink.

The electronic component can be an active electronic component, e.g. B. a chip or transistor, or a passive electronic component, e.g. B. a resistor, capacitor or an inductor. The active electronic component may include a semiconductor die. The semiconductor die may include SiC, GaN or GaO. The power module may include two or more electronic components. Some of the electronic components can be arranged on the carrier. In addition, some of the electronic components can be arranged on the control board.

The wire bond can be any conventional wire bond. Wire bonding can include copper, aluminum, silver or gold. The bend may be formed by the wire bond between a part of the wire bond that is connected to the electronic component and a part of the wire bond that is connected to the other electronic component or the electrical line of the carrier. That the bend of the wire bond extends “at least” into the via recess may mean that the bend is located within the via recess or that the bend extends through the via recess.

The control board can be a printed circuit board. The drive board may include one or more electrical leads that connect the electrically conductive parts to corresponding connectors or to electronic components on the drive board that are coupled to the connectors. The control board can have one or more of the through recesses, e.g. B. for receiving one or more corresponding ones of the bends of respective wire bonds. The passage recesses can each be used as slots, e.g. B. small slots can be formed. That these slots are "small" may mean that they are formed with a clearance fit for the corresponding wire bonds and/or that they are simply completely filled by a bonding substance for bonding the wire bonds to the electrically conductive parts at the corresponding slots.

Each electrically conductive part may comprise an electrically conductive material disposed within and/or at least partially around the corresponding passage recess. For example, an inner side wall of the passage recess can be partially or completely covered and/or coated by the electrically conductive material. Alternatively or additionally, a border, e.g. B. an edge, the passage recess can be partially or completely covered and / or coated by the electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive part can be directly or via one or more electronic components, e.g. B. the electronic components that are arranged on the control board can be coupled to the connection. The electrically conductive part can be coupled to the connection via one or more electrical lines of the control board.

According to one embodiment, the bend of the wire bond extends through the through hole. This can contribute to a very good and secure electrical coupling between the wire bond and the electrically conductive part of the through hole.

According to one embodiment, the bend is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive part of the passage recess by a bonding substance. The bonding substance can be a solder or an electrically conductive adhesive.

According to one embodiment, the passage recess has the edge that includes the electrically conductive part. The edge may be an edge that provides an opening of the passage recess on that side of the control board that faces the carrier, or on that side of the control board that faces away from the carrier. The edge can be partially or completely covered and/or coated by the electrically conductive material of the electrically conductive part.

According to one embodiment, the electrically conductive part extends over the entire edge of the passage recess. This contributes to a very good and secure electrical coupling between the wire bond and the electrically conductive part of the passage recess.

According to one embodiment, the carrier is a direct bonded copper substrate or an insulated metal substrate. This contributes to very good heat dissipation away from the electronic components arranged on the carrier.

According to one embodiment, the electronic component or at least one further electronic component of the chip arrangement is a high-performance semiconductor chip. The high-performance semiconductor chip can be designed to process high voltages, for example more than 100 V, and/or high currents, for example more than 10 A.

Features, embodiments and/or advantages relating to the above power module may also relate to features, embodiments and/or advantages of a method for assembling the power module, which will be explained below.

Another aspect relates to the method of mounting the power module, the method comprising: providing the carrier; Mounting the at least one electronic component on the carrier; coupling the electronic component to the other electronic component of the power module or to the electrical line of the carrier through the at least one wire bond so that the wire bond forms the bend; Arranging the control board on the carrier above the electronic component, the control board having the connection for electrically contacting the control board, at least one through-hole which extends through the control board, and the electrically conductive part which is arranged at the through-hole and which is electrically connected coupled to the terminal, wherein the wire bond and the via recess are formed and arranged such that the bend of the wire bond extends at least into the via recess; and electrically coupling the bend to the electrically conductive part.

According to one embodiment, the wire bond and the via recess are formed and arranged such that the bend of the wire bond extends through the via recess.

According to one embodiment, the bend is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive part of the passage recess by a bonding substance.

According to one embodiment, the passage recess has the edge that includes the electrically conductive part.

According to one embodiment, the electrically conductive part extends over the entire edge of the passage recess.

According to one embodiment, the carrier is a direct bonded copper substrate or an insulated metal substrate.

According to one embodiment, the electronic component or at least one further electronic component of the power module is a high-performance semiconductor chip.

• 1 zeigt eine Schnittseitenansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines Leistungsmoduls.
• 2 zeigt eine Draufsicht eines Trägers des Leistungsmoduls aus 1.
• 3 zeigt eine Draufsicht einer Ansteuerungsplatine des Leistungsmoduls aus 1.
• 4 zeigt ein Flussdiagramm eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines Verfahrens zum Montieren des Leistungsmoduls.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the embodiments described below and will be explained with reference to them. Embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• 1 shows a sectional side view of an exemplary embodiment of a power module.
• 2 shows a top view of a carrier of the power module 1 .
• 3 shows a top view of a control board of the power module 1 .
• 4 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for assembling the power module.

The reference numerals used in the drawings and their meanings are listed in summarized form in the list of reference numerals below. In principle, identical parts are given the same reference numbers in the figures.

1 shows a sectional side view of an exemplary embodiment of a power module 20. The power module 20 comprises a carrier 22, at least one electronic component, e.g. B. a first electronic component 24 and a second electronic component 26, which is arranged on the carrier 22, and a control board 40, which is electrically and mechanically coupled to the carrier 22 and / or the electronic components 24, 26. The power module 20 may provide one or more half bridges that may be used in an inverter and/or rectifier.

The electronic components 42 can each be an active electronic component, e.g. B. a chip or transistor, or a passive electronic component, e.g. B. a resistor, a capacitor or an inductor. The power module 20 may include only one or more than two electronic components 24, 26 on the carrier 22. For example, the power module 20 may include one or more additional electronic components on the control board 40, e.g. B. a third electronic component 44 and / or a fourth electronic component 46. The electronic components 24, 26 of the carrier 20 can be arranged on a side of the carrier 22 that faces the control board 40. Alternatively or additionally, some of the electronic components 24, 26 of the carrier 22 can be arranged on a side of the carrier 22 that faces away from the control board 40. The electronic components 44, 46 of the control board 40 can be arranged on a side of the control board 40 that faces away from the carrier 22. Alternatively or additionally, some of the electronic components 44, 46 of the control board 40 can be arranged on a side of the control board 40 that faces the carrier 22. At least one of the electronic components 24, 26, 44, 46 of the power module 20 can be a high-performance semiconductor chip. The high-performance semiconductor chip can be designed to process high voltages, for example more than 100 V, and/or high currents, for example more than 10 A. The active electronic component may include a semiconductor die. The semiconductor die may include SiC, GaN or GaO.

The carrier 22 may include an electrically conductive first layer 30, an electrically insulating second layer 32 on the first layer 30 and an electrically conductive third layer 34 on the second layer 32. The first, second and/or third layers 30, 32, 34 may be parallel to one another. The first and second layers 30, 32 may completely overlap one another, with outer edges of the first layer 30 being flush with outer edges of the second layer 32. The third layer 34 can have three sections (see 2 ) that are spatially and electrically separated from one another and/or electrically insulated from one another. Alternatively, the third layer 34 may include one, two, or more than three sections. The first and/or third layer 30, 34 may comprise or be made from copper and/or aluminum. The second layer 32 may comprise a dielectric material. The carrier 22 may be a DBC (direct bonded copper) substrate or an insulated metal substrate (IMS).

The control board 40 may be a printed circuit board (PCB: Printed Circuit Board). The control board 40 can have one or more electrical lines (not shown), e.g. B. vias, which are embedded within the control board 40 or printed on it. The control board 40 may include one or more electrical connections 48. The electrical connections 48 may be used to couple the power module 22 to one or more external devices (not shown), e.g. B. a controller for controlling the power module 20, and / or a load that is supplied with energy by the power module 20, e.g. B. an electric motor or actuator, and / or with an energy source, e.g. B. the power grid or a generator. The electronic components 44, 46 on the control board 40 can be coupled directly or indirectly to the connections 48, e.g. B. through the electrical lines of the control port 40.

The control board 40 includes at least one, preferably several, through recesses 42 that extend through the control board 40. Each of the passage recesses 42 may have the shape of a slot, in particular a small slot.

The control port 40 comprises at least one, preferably several, electrically conductive parts, e.g. B. at least one electrically conductive part for each of the through-holes 42. The electrically conductive part is arranged at the corresponding through-hole 42. The electrically conductive portion may comprise an electrically conductive material disposed within the corresponding through hole 42. For example, an inside wall of the passage recess 42 may be partially or completely covered and/or coated by the electrically conductive material. Alternatively or additionally, a border, e.g. B. an edge of the corresponding passage recess 42 may be partially or completely covered and/or coated by the electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive part can be connected directly, ie via one or more of the electrical lines of the control board 40, but not via one or more of the electronic components 44, or indirectly, ie via one or more several of the electronic components 44, 46 of the control board 40 may be coupled to one or more of the connections 48. The electrically conductive part can be coupled to the connection 48 via one or more electrical lines of the control board 40.

The electronic components 24, 26 of the carrier 22 are connected to one another, to the carrier 22, for example by at least one, preferably several, wire bonds 28. B. coupled to one or more sections of the electrically conductive third layer 34 of the carrier 22, and / or to the control board 40. The wire bonds 28, which couple the electronic components 24, 26 of the carrier 22 to the control board 40, are arranged such that they have a bend 29, e.g. B. form a loop or curve. For example, the bend 29 through the wire bond 28 may be between a portion of the wire bond 28 connected to one of the electronic components, e.g. B. the first electronic component 24, and a part of the wire bond 28 which is connected to another of the electronic components, e.g. B. the second electronic component 26 or the corresponding section of the electrically conductive third layer 34. The wire bonds 28 may be any conventional wire bonds. The wire bonds 28 may include copper, aluminum, silver or gold.

At least some of the wire bonds 28, which include the corresponding bends 29, and at least some of the passage recesses 42 are formed and arranged such that the bends 29 of the corresponding wire bonds 28 extend at least into or through the corresponding passage recess 42, these bends 29 are electrically coupled to the electrically conductive parts at the corresponding through recesses 42. The fact that the bends 29 of the wire bond 28 extend “at least” into the corresponding through-holes 42 may mean that the bends 29 are arranged within the corresponding through-holes 42 or that the bends 29 extend through the corresponding through-holes 42, as in 1 is shown.

The electronic components 24, 26 of the carrier 22 and optionally one or more of the sections of the electrically conductive third layer 34 of the carrier 22 are connected to the control board 40 via the corresponding bends 29 of the provided wire bonds 28 and the corresponding electrically conductive parts in the respective through recesses 42 coupled. These bends 29 can be electrically coupled to the corresponding electrically conductive parts of the respective through-holes 42 by a bonding substance. The bonding substance can be a solder or an electrically conductive adhesive.

The control board 40 can be attached to the carrier 22, for example by welding, soldering and/or gluing. For example, the wire bonds 28 coupled to the drive board 40 may provide mechanical attachment of the drive port 40 to the carrier 22. However, this coupling may not be strong enough. Therefore, additional fastening means (not shown) can be arranged for mechanically fastening the control board 42 to the carrier 22.

The power module 20 can include a potting body 50. The potting body can function as a housing of the power module 20. The potting body 50 can be made from a potting material. In particular, the carrier 22, the electronic components 24, 26 of the carrier 22, the wire bonds 28 and/or the control board 40 can be partially or completely embedded within the casting body 50 by casting. For example, all of the components of the power module 20 mentioned above may be completely embedded within the potting body 50. Alternatively, the components may be partially embedded within the potting body 50, e.g. B. such that one side of the control board 40, which faces away from the carrier 22, is free of the potting material of the potting body 50, as in 1 is shown.

2 shows a top view of the carrier 22 of the power module 20 1 . Out of 2 It can be seen that one of the electronic components 24, 26 of the carrier 22 is represented by more than one, e.g. B. two or three, wire bonds 28, can be electrically coupled to the other electronic component 24, 26 of the carrier 22 and or to the corresponding section of the electrically conductive layer 34 of the carrier 22. Each of these wire bonds 28 may include a bend 29 as described above and may be coupled to a corresponding via recess 42 as described above.

3 shows a top view of the control board 40 of the power module 20 1 . Out of 3 It can be seen that, at least in this embodiment, there is a through recess 24 for each of the wire bonds 28, in particular the bends 29 of the wire bonds 28. Furthermore, it can be seen that there are three connections 48. The three connections 48 can be set up to transfer a three-phase current. For example, the top port may be 48 in 3 electric with the electric conductive part of the rightmost top passage recess 42, the middle connection 48 in 3 be electrically coupled to the electrically conductive part of the rightmost central passage recess 42 and/or the lowest connection 48 in 3 be electrically coupled to the electrically conductive part of the rightmost bottom passage recess 42. The two wire bonds 28 and/or the two through recesses 42 on the far left in 2 or. 3 can be set up to receive or provide a two-phase power.

4 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for assembling the power module, e.g. B. the above power module 20.

In a step S2, a carrier is provided, e.g. B. the above carrier 22.

In a step S4, at least one electronic component is mounted on the carrier, e.g. B. the electronic components 24, 26 on the carrier 22.

In step S6, one of the electronic components, e.g. B. the first electronic component 24, by at least one of the wire bonds 28 to another electronic component, e.g. B. the second electronic component 26, or with an electrical line of the carrier 22, which z. B. provided on or through the electrically conductive third layer 34, can be coupled such that the corresponding wire bonds 28 each form a bend 29, as explained above.

In step S8, a control board is arranged on the carrier above the electronic components, e.g. B. the control board 40 is arranged on the carrier 22 above the electronic components 24, 26 in such a way that the bends 29 of the wire bonds 28 extend at least into, preferably through, the corresponding passage recesses 42.

In a step S10, the bends 29 extending through the corresponding through-holes 42 are electrically connected to the electrically conductive parts of the corresponding through-holes 42, e.g. B. coupled by the above bonding substance.

In an optional step S12, a casting body, e.g. B. the above potting body 50, can be formed to partially or completely embed the power module 20, as described above.

The invention is not limited by the above embodiments. For example, there may be more or less electronic components 24, 26, 44, 46, corresponding wire bonds 28, bends 29 and corresponding through-holes 42 with electrically conductive parts.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered as illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations of the disclosed embodiments may be understood and effected by one skilled in the art practicing the claimed invention from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or controller or other device can perform the functions of some of the items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are mentioned in different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used advantageously. Any reference characters in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

List of reference symbols

20

Power module

22

carrier

24

first electronic component

26

second electronic component

28

Wire bonding

29

bend

30

first layer

32

second layer

34

third layer

36

first pin recess

40

Control board

42

Passage recess

44

third electrical component

46

fourth electrical component

48

Connection

50

Casting body

S2-S12

Steps two to twelve

Claims (14)

Power module (20) comprising: a carrier (22); at least one electronic component (24, 26) mounted on the carrier (22); at least one wire bond (28) which couples the electronic component (42) to another electronic component (24, 26) of the power module (20) or to an electrical line of the carrier (22), the wire bond (28) having a bend ( 29) forms; a control board (40) which is arranged on the carrier (22) above the electronic component (24, 26) and a connection (48) for electrically contacting the control board (40) and at least one through recess (42) which extends through the Control board (40) extends, includes; and an electrically conductive part at the through-hole (42), the electrically conductive part being electrically coupled to the terminal (48), the wire bond (28) and the through-hole (42) being formed and arranged so that the bend (29 ) the wire bonding (28) extends at least into the passage recess (42), and the bend (29) is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive part. Power module (20). Claim 1 , wherein the bend (29) of the wire bond (28) extends through the passage recess (42). Power module (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bend (29) is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive part of the passage recess (42) by a bonding substance. Power module (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the passage recess (42) has an edge which includes the electrically conductive part. Power module (20). Claim 4 , wherein the electrically conductive part extends over the entire edge of the passage recess (42). The power module (20) of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier (22) is a direct bonded copper substrate or an insulated metal substrate. Power module (20) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic component (24, 26) or the at least one further electronic component (24, 26) is a high-performance semiconductor chip. A method of assembling a power module (20), the method comprising: providing a carrier (22); Mounting at least one electronic component (24, 26) on the carrier (22); Coupling the electronic component (24, 26) with another electronic component (24, 26) of the power module (20) or with an electrical line of the carrier (22) by at least one wire bond (28) such that the wire bond (28). bend (29); Arranging a control board (40) on the carrier (22) above the electronic component (24, 26), the control board (40) having a connection (48) for electrically contacting the control board (40), at least one through-hole (42). extending through the control board (40), and comprising an electrically conductive part disposed at the through-hole (42) and electrically coupled to the terminal (48), wherein the wire bonding (28) and the through-hole (42) are formed and arranged such that the bend (29) of the wire bond (28) extends at least into the passage recess (42); and electrically coupling the bend (29) to the electrically conductive part. Procedure according to Claim 8 , wherein the wire bond (28) and the through-hole (42) are formed and arranged such that the bend (29) of the wire bond (28) extends through the through-hole (42). Procedure according to one of the Claims 8 or 9 , wherein the bend (29) is electrically coupled to the electrically conductive part of the passage recess (42) by a bonding substance. Procedure according to one of the Claims 8 until 10 , wherein the passage recess (42) has an edge which includes the electrically conductive part. Procedure according to Claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive part extends over the entire edge of the passage recess (42). Procedure according to one of the Claims 8 until 12 , wherein the carrier (22) is a direct bonded copper substrate or an insulated metal substrate. Procedure according to one of the Claims 8 until 13 , wherein the electronic component (24, 26) or the at least one further electronic component (24, 26) of the power module (20) is a high-performance semiconductor chip.

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