JP2006245362A - Semiconductor apparatus and electrode terminal used for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor apparatus which has a high reliability with use of an electrode terminal which is improved in the stress strength between a stress buffer and an electrode (and conductive part). <P>SOLUTION: The semiconductor apparatus comprises an electrode terminal 20. The electrode terminal 20 has a bent part 32, a plate-shaped stress buffer 30 of a pair of flat parts integrally formed with both ends of the bent part, an electrode 22 connected to one of flat parts, and a conductive part 24 connected to the other flat part. The semiconductor apparatus also comprises a semiconductor device electrically connected to the conductive part. The stress buffer has a constant thickness that is smaller than the electrode and the conductive part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and an electrode terminal used therefor.

  In general, a large capacity current is required to drive industrial and vehicle-mounted motors, and various power semiconductor devices have been proposed to control this. In particular, many substrate-type power semiconductor elements are commercially available in which a power semiconductor element such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor is mounted on an insulating substrate.

  According to such a substrate type power semiconductor device, the insulating substrate on which the power semiconductor element is mounted is mounted on the base plate, and the resin case is fixed to the base plate so as to surround the power semiconductor element. The resin case is filled with an insulating filler such as an epoxy resin, and then a lid made of an insulating material is disposed. At this time, an extremely large current flows through an electrode terminal extending from the power semiconductor element inside the resin case and connected to an external terminal such as a bus bar, and generates a heat quantity that cannot be ignored due to its own resistance component.

  In addition, the electrode terminal extends in a vertical direction from the power semiconductor element toward the lid in the resin case, and the bus bar is disposed in parallel to the lid, so that after passing through the opening provided in the lid, It needs to be bent almost at right angles. That is, it is required to use an electrode terminal with high workability so that it can be easily bent in the assembly process of the power semiconductor device.

  Such an electrode terminal with high workability is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. According to Patent Document 1, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, the electrode terminal 3 has an external joint end 3 a and a coining portion 14, and the width of the coining portion 14 is reduced or increased in thickness. It is described that by making it thin, it can be easily bent with a small force, and this portion is the center of bending (see, for example, [0005]).

  Similarly, the external electrode 3 disclosed in FIGS. 4 and 5 of Patent Document 2 has a groove and a notch formed in the bent portion, and by bending the external connection portion 3b of the external electrode 3 at a right angle, A power device is assembled. And in patent document 2, the technique which can bend accurately and reliably is described by annealing a bending part using a laser beam.

  Further, according to Patent Document 3, the lead width of the S-shaped bend portion 6 used in the power semiconductor device is made larger than that of the flat conductive lead terminal 5 and the thickness thereof is reduced, thereby reducing the thickness of the S-shaped bend portion 6. It is disclosed that the conductive capacity is substantially the same as the flat conductive lead terminal 5.

JP 9-45831 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-60147 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-129797

  However, in Patent Document 1, the coining portion 14 is designed to have a short dimension in the longitudinal direction, and the electrode terminal 3 is bent with the coining portion 14 as a folding center. Therefore, mechanical stress concentrates on the folding center, and the coining portion 14 14 is likely to crack from the outer surface. In addition, since the cross-sectional area (width and thickness) of the coining portion 14 is smaller than the external joint end 3a, the electrical resistance component at the bending center portion increases and the amount of heat generation also increases. That is, the narrow coining portion 14 becomes hotter than the adjacent external joint end 3a, and the temperature gradient at the boundary portion between both becomes extremely large. Therefore, in the coining portion 14, a large thermal stress is applied at the time of conduction, which can result in promoting the progress of cracks in combination with the above-described mechanical stress.

  Further, according to Patent Document 2, the external electrode 3 has a concave groove and a notch in the bent portion as in Patent Document 1, and may be broken from the bent portion (for example, upper right column 18 on page 2). (See line 19).

  Further, similarly in the power semiconductor device of Patent Document 3, mechanical stress concentrates on the boundary portion between the S-shaped bend portion 6 and the flat conductive lead terminal 5. In addition, since this boundary portion is formed thinner than the flat conductive lead terminal 5, it is vulnerable to stress. Therefore, the boundary part between the S-shaped bend part 6 and the flat conductive lead terminal 5 of Patent Document 3 is vulnerable to stress and easily breaks, as in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

  The semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a plate-shaped stress buffer portion formed of a bent portion and a pair of flat portions integrally formed at both ends thereof, an electrode portion connected to one of the flat portions, and the other flat portion. An electrode terminal having a conductive portion connected to the conductive portion, and a semiconductor element electrically connected to the conductive portion, and the stress buffering portion has a constant thickness and is larger than the electrode portion and the conductive portion. It is thin.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a highly reliable semiconductor device is realizable using the electrode terminal by which the stress intensity | strength between a stress buffer part and an electrode part (and conductive part) was improved.

  Embodiments of a semiconductor device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of each embodiment, a term indicating a direction (for example, “upward” and “downward”) is used as appropriate for easy understanding. Does not limit the invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
A power module (semiconductor device) according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The power module shown in FIG. 1 generally includes a case 10 made of an insulating material such as a resin and a metal base plate 12 made of a metal plate such as copper having good thermal conductivity. The case 10 is fixed to the metal base plate 12 using screws (not shown) or the like. The metal base plate 12 has through holes 14 at four corners thereof, and the metal radiating fins (both not shown) using screws or the like. Attached). Further, the power module has a plurality of control terminals 16.

  Although not shown in detail, in the power module, the insulating substrate is fixed on the metal base plate 12 inside the case 10, and the power module is for at least one power such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and a free wheel diode (FWD). A semiconductor element is mounted on an insulating substrate. In addition, the internal space of the case 10 including the upper portion of the power semiconductor element is filled with silicon gel, the upper portion is sealed with epoxy resin, and the lid 18 is further disposed above the inner space.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the power module of this embodiment includes an electrode terminal 20, a bus bar 40 electrically connected to an external electric circuit device (not shown), a bolt 42 and an electrode terminal 20. The electrode terminal 20 and an external electric circuit device are electrically connected by tightening the bolt 42 while being held between the one end portions (referred to as “electrode portion 22”, see FIG. 2). The other end of the electrode terminal 20 (referred to as “conductive portion 24”, see FIG. 2) is electrically connected to the electrode of the power semiconductor element inside the case 10, and upward (perpendicular to the lid 18). And extends laterally outside the case 10 (parallel to the lid 18). Thus, the external electric circuit device and the semiconductor element are electrically connected.

Here, the detailed structure of the electrode terminal 20 and the method for assembling the power module according to this embodiment will be described below.
As described above, the electrode terminal 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has the electrode part 22 connected to the bus bar 40 and the conduction part 24 connected to the semiconductor element. Moreover, the electrode terminal 20 is a stress buffering portion 30 linearly extending in the longitudinal direction disposed between the electrode portion 22 and the conducting portion 24 as shown in FIG. Have
Further, the stress buffering portion 30 includes a bent portion 32 and a pair of flat portions 34 and 35 integrally formed at both ends thereof, and the stress buffering portion 30 (the bent portion 32 and the flat portion 34, 35) according to this embodiment. 35), as shown in FIG. 3B, the thickness is constant, and it is designed to be thinner than the electrode part 22 and the conductive part 24. For example, the thickness of the electrode part 22 and the conduction part 24 may be 1.5 mm, and the thickness of the stress buffer part 30 may be 1.2 mm.

  After the conductive portion 24 of the electrode terminal 20 thus configured is connected to the semiconductor element, the electrode portion 22 and the stress buffer portion 30 protrude upward through the opening 11 provided in advance in the lid 18. A lid 18 is disposed on the case 10. And after arrange | positioning the lid | cover 18 on the case 10, the electrode terminal 20 is bend | folded so that it may bend (curve) in the predetermined bending direction by the predetermined curvature radius R in the bending part 32 of the stress buffer part 30 (FIG. 2 and FIG. 4). That is, the bent portion 32 is bent at a predetermined radius of curvature R, but the electrode terminal 20 is bent so that the flat portions 34 and 35 are kept flat without being bent. At this time, for example, the length of the stress buffer portion 30 in the longitudinal direction can be designed to be 6.0 mm and the curvature radius R of the bent portion 32 can be 1.5 mm.

Thus, since the bent portion 32 and the flat portions 34 and 35 at both ends thereof are integrally formed and the thickness thereof is constant, mechanical stress is concentrated between the bent portion 32 and the flat portions 34 and 35. Since the bent portion 32 is bent at a predetermined radius of curvature R, mechanical stress can be dispersed. Further, since the thickness of the bent portion 32 and the flat portions 34 and 35 is constant, the electric resistance component (heat generation amount) is constant, and a steep temperature gradient (large thermal stress) that may occur between the two is avoided. Can do.
In addition, since the bent portion 32 and the flat portions 34 and 35 are designed to be thinner than the electrode portion 22 and the conductive portion 24, it is easy to bend with a small force, and high assembly workability of the power module can be expected. . In addition, when the flat portions 34 and 35 are made thinner than the electrode portion 22, the electrode portion 22 is formed so as to protrude above the flat portions 34 and 35 as shown in FIGS. The mounting work becomes easier.
In this way, a highly reliable power module can be easily realized by using the electrode terminal 20 that is not easily broken without mechanical and thermal stresses being concentrated locally.

Each of the electrode portion, the stress buffering portion 30 (the bent portion 32 and the flat portions 34 and 35), and the conductive portion 24 has a surface facing the bent side of the bent portion 32 as an inner surface 36, and a surface facing the inner surface 36. In the case of the outer surface 38, it is preferable that the outer surface 38 is thinned so as to be recessed as shown in FIG. 4 than the case where the inner surface 36 is thinned so as to be recessed as shown in FIG.
In other words, the electrode terminal 20 is bent so that the thinned surface of the stress buffer portion 30 becomes the outer surface 38. Thereby, unlike FIG. 5, when bending the bending part 32 as shown in FIG. 4, the necessity to use the bending jig | tool which has a special dimension and shape can be excluded.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
A second embodiment of a power module (semiconductor device) according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The power module according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the power module according to the first embodiment except that the shape of the electrode terminals is different. Therefore, detailed description regarding overlapping parts is omitted.

The stress buffering portion 30 of the second embodiment has a constant thickness and is configured to be thinner than the electrode portion 22 and the conductive portion 24, whereas the stress buffering portion 30 of the power module of the second embodiment. Is different in that the width is constant and narrower than the electrode part and the conductive part.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the electrode terminal 20 of the second embodiment includes an electrode part 22 connected to the bus bar 40, a conduction part 24 connected to the semiconductor element, and the electrode part 22 and the conduction part. 24, the stress buffering portion 30 that is formed integrally in the longitudinal direction and that extends linearly, and the stress buffering portion 30 (the bent portion 32 and the flat portions 34 and 35) of the second embodiment is The width is constant and is designed to be narrower than the electrode portion 22 and the conductive portion 24. For example, the electrode portion 22 and the conductive portion 24 may have a width of 20 mm, and the stress buffer portion 30 may have a thickness of 15 mm. Moreover, the thickness of the electrode part 22, the stress buffer part 30, and the conductive part 24 of the power module may be the same.

  When assembling the power module, as in the first embodiment, the electrode terminal 20 is bent at the bent portion 32 of the stress buffer portion 30 so as to be bent at a predetermined radius of curvature R, and the flatness of the flat portions 34 and 35 is increased. Is similarly maintained (FIG. 8).

In the power module assembled in this manner, the bent portion 32 and the flat portions 34 and 35 at both ends thereof are integrally formed and the width thereof is constant, so that the bent portion 32 and the flat portion 34 are configured. , 35 can be avoided, and the bent portion 32 is bent at a predetermined radius of curvature R, so that the mechanical stress can be dispersed. Further, since the widths of the bent portion 32 and the flat portions 34 and 35 are constant, the electrical resistance component (heat generation amount) becomes constant, and the temperature gradient (large thermal stress) between the two during energization can be reduced. it can.
In addition, since the stress buffer portion 30 is designed to be narrower than the electrode portion 22 and the conductive portion 24, the stress buffer portion 30 can be easily bent with a small force, and the assembly workability of the power module can be improved.
Thus, a highly reliable semiconductor device can be easily realized by using the electrode terminal 20 that is not easily broken without mechanical and thermal stresses being concentrated locally.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
A third embodiment of the power module (semiconductor device) according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. According to the electrode terminal 20 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the stress buffer portion 30 has a constant thickness, is thinner than the electrode portion 22 and the conductive portion 24, as in the first embodiment, and the embodiment. Similar to 2, the width is constant and designed to be narrower than the electrode portion and the conductive portion.

  As described above, since the bent portion 32 of the stress buffer portion 30 of the third embodiment is easier to bend than the first and second embodiments, the assembly workability of the power module can be further improved. Furthermore, by relaxing local concentration of mechanical stress and thermal stress, a highly reliable semiconductor device can be easily realized by using the electrode terminal 20 that is not easily broken.

It is a perspective view of the power module concerning the present invention. It is an expansion perspective view of the electrode terminal by a 1st embodiment. It is the top view and side view of an electrode terminal which are shown in FIG. 2 before incorporating in a power module. FIG. 3 is a side view of the electrode terminal shown in FIG. 2 after being assembled in a power module. It is a side view similar to FIG. 4 of the electrode terminal bent in the unsuitable direction. It is an expansion perspective view of the electrode terminal by 2nd Embodiment. It is a top view of the electrode terminal shown in FIG. 6 before incorporating in a power module. It is a side view of the electrode terminal shown in FIG. 6 after incorporating in a power module. It is an expansion perspective view of the electrode terminal by 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Case, 12 Metal base plate, 14 Through hole, 16 Control terminal, 18 Lid, 20 Electrode terminal, 22 Electrode part, 24 Conductive part, 30 Stress buffer part, 32 Bent part, 34, 35 Flat part, 36 Inner surface, 38 exterior, 40 busbar, 42 bolts.

Claims (4)

A plate-shaped stress buffering portion comprising a bent portion and a pair of flat portions integrally formed at both ends thereof, an electrode portion connected to one of the flat portions, and a conductive portion connected to the other flat portion. Having electrode terminals;
A semiconductor element electrically connected to the conductive portion,
The stress buffer portion has a constant thickness and is thinner than the electrode portion and the conductive portion. Each of the electrode portion, the stress buffering portion, and the conductive portion has an inner surface facing the side where the bent portion is bent and an outer surface facing the inner surface.
The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the stress buffer portion is formed to be concave on the outer surface. A plate-shaped stress buffering portion comprising a bent portion and a pair of flat portions integrally formed at both ends thereof, an electrode portion connected to one of the flat portions, and a conductive portion connected to the other flat portion. Having electrode terminals;
A semiconductor element electrically connected to the conductive portion,
The stress buffer portion has a constant width and is narrower than the electrode portion and the conductive portion. The said electrode terminal used for the semiconductor device of Claims 1-3.

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