WO2013004297A1 - Short-circuit failure mode with multiple device breakdown - Google Patents

Short-circuit failure mode with multiple device breakdown Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2013004297A1
WO2013004297A1 PCT/EP2011/061289 EP2011061289W WO2013004297A1 WO 2013004297 A1 WO2013004297 A1 WO 2013004297A1 EP 2011061289 W EP2011061289 W EP 2011061289W WO 2013004297 A1 WO2013004297 A1 WO 2013004297A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
gate
semiconductor devices
scfm
devices
semiconductor
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2011/061289
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Franz Wildner
Thorsten STRASSEL
Original Assignee
Abb Technology Ag
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Abb Technology Ag filed Critical Abb Technology Ag
Priority to PCT/EP2011/061289 priority Critical patent/WO2013004297A1/en
Priority to EP11729314.2A priority patent/EP2729964B1/en
Publication of WO2013004297A1 publication Critical patent/WO2013004297A1/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L23/00—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices
    • H01L23/58—Structural electrical arrangements for semiconductor devices not otherwise provided for, e.g. in combination with batteries
    • H01L23/62—Protection against overvoltage, e.g. fuses, shunts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L23/00—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices
    • H01L23/02—Containers; Seals
    • H01L23/04—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls
    • H01L23/043—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls the container being a hollow construction and having a conductive base as a mounting as well as a lead for the semiconductor body
    • H01L23/051—Containers; Seals characterised by the shape of the container or parts, e.g. caps, walls the container being a hollow construction and having a conductive base as a mounting as well as a lead for the semiconductor body another lead being formed by a cover plate parallel to the base plate, e.g. sandwich type
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L25/00—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof
    • H01L25/03—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes
    • H01L25/04—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices not having separate containers
    • H01L25/07—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices not having separate containers the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L29/00
    • H01L25/072—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices not having separate containers the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L29/00 the devices being arranged next to each other
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L25/00—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof
    • H01L25/03—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes
    • H01L25/10—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices having separate containers
    • H01L25/11—Assemblies consisting of a plurality of individual semiconductor or other solid state devices ; Multistep manufacturing processes thereof all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes the devices having separate containers the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L29/00
    • H01L25/117—Stacked arrangements of devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
    • H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
    • H03K17/12—Modifications for increasing the maximum permissible switched current
    • H03K17/127—Modifications for increasing the maximum permissible switched current in composite switches
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L2924/00—Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
    • H01L2924/0001—Technical content checked by a classifier
    • H01L2924/0002—Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L2924/00—Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
    • H01L2924/10—Details of semiconductor or other solid state devices to be connected
    • H01L2924/11—Device type
    • H01L2924/13—Discrete devices, e.g. 3 terminal devices
    • H01L2924/1304—Transistor
    • H01L2924/1305—Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
    • H01L2924/13055—Insulated gate bipolar transistor [IGBT]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
    • H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
    • H03K17/06—Modifications for ensuring a fully conducting state

Definitions

  • the invention relates in general to high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission, and more specifically to power semiconductor modules featuring the short-circuit failure mode (SCFM).
  • HVDC high voltage direct current
  • SCFM short-circuit failure mode
  • a semiconductor module comprises several power semiconductor devices, in particular insulated bipolar gate transistors (IGBT) and diodes, connected in parallel for sharing the current through the module.
  • IGBT insulated bipolar gate transistors
  • a plurality of such modules may be connected in series, often arranged as a stack, in order to achieve a desired voltage rating.
  • the SCFM of the semiconductor devices enables the continued operation of such a stack in case of a failure of one of the semiconductor devices, e.g., due to cosmic radiation.
  • an electrically conducting alloy of, e.g., silicon and a metal layer applied to the silicon is formed by virtue of heat dissipated as a consequence of the failure, thereby short-circuiting the semiconductor device and enabling a continued operation of the stack until the failed module is replaced.
  • the short-circuited device takes over the entire current through the module.
  • Over time neighboring devices may also transition into SCFM, a process which requires the occurrence of a sufficiently high voltage between collector and emitter for the transition to take place.
  • a circuit comprising a power semiconductor module.
  • the power semiconductor module comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices, a collector terminal, and an emitter terminal.
  • Each semiconductor device has a collector, an emitter, and a gate.
  • Each semiconductor device is arranged for transitioning into an SCFM in the event of a failure of the semiconductor device.
  • the collector terminal is arranged for collectively connecting the collectors of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components.
  • the emitter terminal is arranged for collectively connecting the emitters of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components.
  • the circuit further comprises means for supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of at least one of the other semiconductor devices of the plurality of semiconductor devices. The high-voltage pulse is supplied in response to a failing
  • semiconductor device of the plurality of semiconductor devices transitioning into SCFM.
  • a method of a power semiconductor module comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices, a collector terminal, and an emitter terminal.
  • Each semiconductor device has a collector, an emitter, and a gate.
  • Each semiconductor device is arranged for transitioning into an SCFM in the event of a failure of the semiconductor device.
  • the collector terminal is arranged for collectively connecting the collectors of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components.
  • the emitter terminal is arranged for collectively connecting the emitters of the plurality of
  • the method comprises supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of at least one of the other of the plurality of semiconductor devices.
  • the high-voltage pulse is supplied in response to the transitioning of a failing semiconductor device of the plurality of semiconductor devices into SCFM.
  • a plurality of semiconductor devices is often combined in order to achieve a desired current and/or voltage rating.
  • a stack of power semiconductor modules connected in series is utilized in order to achieve a desired voltage rating, wherein each module comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices connected in parallel in order to achieve a desired current rating.
  • SCFM semiconductor devices featuring SCFM
  • the stack as a whole may continue operation even though a single, or even several, of the devices comprised in the stack have failed, e.g., due to cosmic radiation. Redundancy may be provided by utilizing more modules than what is necessary in order to achieve a desired voltage rating. In that way, if one, or several, of the modules are short-circuited due to one, or several, of their respective devices transitioning into SCFM, the remaining modules which are still functioning may share the voltage which is applied over the stack.
  • semiconductor devices featuring SCFM have a collector, an emitter, and a gate, and are arranged for transitioning into SCFM in the event of a device failure.
  • the semiconductor die of the device which may, e.g., be silicon based, is supplied with a metal layer abutting the die. The transitioning of such a device into SCFM is then caused by the heat dissipated from the failure, or, more specifically, from an excessive current flowing as a
  • the electrically conducting alloy short- circuits the collector, the emitter, and the gate, of the device.
  • a circuit according to an embodiment of the invention is arranged for forcing, in the event of a failure of one of the devices, at least one of the other devices, i.e., at least one of the devices which have not failed, into SCFM.
  • This may be achieved by supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of the at least one of the other devices, resulting in an excessive current through the die, which causes the transitioning of the device into SCFM.
  • the transitioning into SCFM is caused by the heat dissipated by the current passing through the die. Only little energy is required for initiating the transition, whereas the energy needed for the formation of the alloy stems from the collector-emitter current.
  • Forcing devices connected in parallel to the failed device to transition into SCFM is advantageous in that it leads to an improved current distribution within the module. More specifically, the current through the module is shared by multiple short-circuited devices. In this way, the heat dissipation in the module is reduced, resulting in an enhanced life time and a lowering of the cooling requirements. Moreover, forcing the parallel devices to transition into SCFM is more reliable than relying on an autonomous transitioning of the devices, as the latter requires the occurrence of a sufficiently high voltage between the collector and the emitter.
  • An embodiment of the present invention is further advantageous in that no power source is needed for maintaining devices which are parallel to the short-circuited device in a switched-on state, as is the case for prior art solutions which strive to achieve current sharing.
  • the gate unit is typically configured for maintaining parallel devices in a switched-on state.
  • the gate unit cannot drain power from a collector-emitter clamp.
  • each semiconductor device is either an insulated-gate bipolar transistor, IGBT, or a diode.
  • a power semiconductor module may comprise a combination of IGBTs and diodes.
  • the invention is not limited to IGBTs and diodes, and embodiments of the invention comprising any other type of switchable high-power semiconductor device may easily be envisaged.
  • the circuit further comprises a gate unit.
  • the gate unit is arranged for supplying a control voltage to the gates of the plurality of semiconductor devices.
  • the control voltage is supplied during normal operation, i.e., prior to one of the
  • the gate unit may, e.g., be integrated with the power semiconductor module or arranged separately from it. Further, the gate unit may also be arranged for supplying a control voltage to multiple modules, e.g., all the series-connected modules comprised in a stack.
  • the control voltage is supplied simultaneously to the gates of the plurality of semiconductor devices.
  • This may, e.g., be achieved by collectively connecting the gates of the plurality of semiconductor devices comprised in a module to the gate unit.
  • the gate unit may further be arranged for disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit.
  • the gate is disconnected in the event of a failure of the semiconductor device, before the high-voltage pulse is supplied to the gate of at least one of the other semiconductor devices. This is advantageous since IGBTs connected in parallel to a short- circuited device are blocking, as a consequence of the common gate connection being clamped, through the short-circuited device, to emitter potential.
  • the parallel IGBTs By disconnecting the gate of the short-circuited device, the parallel IGBTs remain operable and may be forced to transition into SCFM by supplying a high-voltage pulse to their gates, thereby inducing an excessive current through the devices which results in the hereinbefore mentioned melting of the die and the metal layer applied to it. If, however, the short- circuited device is a diode, the gate of that diode need not to be disconnected from the gate unit, since the short circuit in this case does not prevent the operation of parallel devices.
  • the means for supplying a high-voltage pulse is arranged at the gate unit.
  • the gate unit and the means for supplying a high-voltage pulse are integrated into a single unit. This is advantageous in that a more compact design may be achieved and additional connections between separate devices may be avoided.
  • disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit is arranged at the gate unit.
  • the means for disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit and the gate unit are integrated into one unit. This is advantageous in that a more compact design may be achieved and additional connections between separate devices may be avoided.
  • the gate unit, the means for supplying a high-voltage pulse, and the means for disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit are integrated into a single unit. This unit may, e.g., be arranged at the power semiconductor module or separate from the module.
  • the power semiconductor module is further arranged for supplying high-voltage pulses sequentially, i.e., one at a time, to the gates of the other semiconductor devices.
  • the high-voltage pulse may be applied only to a single gate at a time, with a subsequent transition of the respective device into SCFM. This may be repeated after a predetermined time period, resulting in the transition of yet another device into SCFM. Alternatively, the repetition may be triggered upon detecting the previous device transitioning into SCFM.
  • the circuit comprises a plurality of power semiconductor modules.
  • the power semiconductor modules are connected in series. Connecting a plurality of power
  • semiconductor modules in series is advantageous in that a higher voltage rating may be achieved.
  • Fig. 1 is a cross section of a press-pack power semiconductor module, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a top view of a power semiconductor module, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 3 is a cross section of a power semiconductor stack, in
  • Fig. 1 shows a power semiconductor module according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 1 shows a power
  • semiconductor devices 1 10 and 120 are arranged for transitioning into SCFM in the event of a device failure.
  • Device 1 10 comprises a semiconductor die 1 1 1 , which is arranged for performing the intended function of the device, e.g., that of an IGBT or a diode, a metal layer 1 12 abutting die 1 1 1 , an a resilient element 1 13 being arranged for applying a compressive force to die 1 1 1 and metal layer 1 12.
  • Resilient element 1 13 may, e.g., be a compressed spring held in place by collector terminal 1 14 and emitter terminal 1 15.
  • Resilient element 1 13 is either electrically conducting or is supplied with an electrically conducting bypass, such that die 1 1 1 may be electrically connected to external circuit components via terminals 1 14 and 1 15.
  • the gate of die 1 1 1 is contacted by means of bond 1 16.
  • Device 120 is identical to device 1 10 and comprises a semiconductor die 121 , a metal layer 122, a resilient element 123, and a gate bond 126.
  • the failing device transitions into SCFM.
  • the cause of such a failure may, e.g., be cosmic radiation resulting in an excessive current through the semiconductor die, which current is due to charge carriers which are set free as a consequence of the high-energetic cosmic radiation.
  • the transitioning into SCFM i.e., the short circuit of die 1 1 1 , is brought about by heat dissipated as a consequence of the excessive current passing through die 1 1 1 1 , resulting in the melting of die 1 1 1 and metal layer 1 12 and the formation of an electrically conducting alloy in the depicted region 130.
  • any of the semiconductor devices comprised in a power semiconductor module e.g., device 1 10 comprised in module 100 described with reference to Fig. 1
  • at least one of the other devices connected in parallel to the short-circuited device e.g., device 120
  • the high-voltage pulse may, e.g., be supplied by an external unit, or by means for supplying a high-voltage pulse, which module 100 is arranged with.
  • a gate unit (not shown in Fig.
  • a high-voltage pulse may be supplied to one or more of the devices comprised in the same module as the short-circuited device and connected in parallel to it.
  • a high-voltage pulse may be supplied to all such devices simultaneously.
  • Power semiconductor module 200 comprises six power semiconductor devices 21 1 -216 arranged in a press-pack style, i.e., similar to module 00 described with reference to Fig. 1 , between a collector terminal and an emitter terminal.
  • Devices 21 1-216 may be IGBTs, diodes, or any combination thereof.
  • High-voltage unit 240 is arranged for supplying high-voltage pulses to the gate of at least one device 21 1 -216 connected in parallel to a short-circuited device, as was described hereinbefore. For instance, in the event of a failure of device 21 1 , and the subsequent transitioning of device 21 1 into SCFM, high-voltage unit 240 may be arranged for supplying a high-voltage pulse to at least one of the remaining
  • unit 240 may be arranged for simultaneously supplying a high-voltage pulse to all of the remaining devices 212-216, thereby short-circuiting all devices 21 1 -216 comprised in module 200.
  • high-voltage unit 240 may be arranged for supplying high- voltage pulses to the respective gates of devices 212-216 sequentially, i.e., one at a time. For instance, the next pulse in the sequence may either be supplied after a predetermined time intervall has lapsed since the previous pulse, or in response to detecting that the device which has received the previous high-voltage pulse has started transitioning into SCFM.
  • high-voltage unit 240 may further be arranged for detecting the transitioning of any of the devices 21 1— 216 into SCFM. This may, e.g., be accomplished by detecting a change in gate potential with respect to the emitter and/or collector potential. Further, a failure of a semiconductor device, with an imminent transitioning into SCFM as a consequence, may be detected by monitoring a current, such as the collector-emitter current, through the device.
  • gate unit 230 and high-voltage unit 240 may be arranged separately from module 200, e.g., for the purpose of supplying an entire stack of power semiconductor modules with control voltage and high-voltage pulses, respectively. It will also be appreciated that module 200 may be arranged with switching means (not shown in Fig. 2) being arranged for connecting either gate unit 230 or high-voltage unit 240, i.e., only one of the units at a time, to the gates of devices 21 1-216.
  • the switching means may further be arranged for disconnecting, in response to any one of the devices 21 1-216 transitioning into SCFM, gate unit 230 from the gates of devices 21 1 -216 and connecting high-voltage unit 240 to the gates of devices 21 1 -216 instead.
  • the gates of devices 21 1— 216 are connected to gate unit 230 during normal operation, whereas they are connected to high-voltage unit 240 in the event of a failure of any one of the devices 21 1 -216.
  • Stack 300 comprises multiple power semiconductor
  • modules 310 1 — 310 N connected in series such as modules 100 and 200 described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively.
  • the number of modules 310 1 — 310 N connected in series depends on the desired voltage rating and the desired redundancy of the stack.
  • one or several of the other devices comprised in module 310 2 and connected in parallel with the short-circuited device are forced into SCFM, as is described hereinbefore.
  • module 310 2 is short-circuited and the voltage drop over module 310 2 virtually vanishes.
  • the remaining modules 310 1 and 310 3 — 310 N take over and share the voltage 320 applied over stack 300.
  • defective modules, or the entire stack are replaced before a maximum number of redundant modules have failed.
  • the required size of the high-voltage pulse, and its duration depend on the application at hand, in particular on the design of the power semiconductor device and its die, as well as the gate condition. For instance, for a device with a 2.5 kV rating, a pulse of about 3.3 kV is typically needed in case of gate-on-emitter potential. In the event of a floating gate, i.e., after disconnecting the gate from the gate unit, as described hereinabove, the required pulse is typically about 1 .5 kV.
  • a gate unit being arranged for supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of one of the semiconductor devices of the plurality of semiconductor devices, in response to a failing semiconductor device of another of the plurality of semiconductor devices transitioning into SCFM, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • a gate unit may, e.g., be used to modify existing power semiconductor modules.
  • an existing power semiconductor module may be supplied with a gate unit which is arranged for performing an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention.
  • a circuit comprising a power semiconductor module having an improved SCFM.
  • the power semiconductor module comprises at least two semiconductor devices being arranged for transitioning into SCFM in the event of a device failure, a collector terminal for collectively connecting the collectors of the devices, and an emitter terminal for collectively connecting the emitters of the devices.
  • the circuit further comprises means for supplying, in response to one of the semiconductor devices transitioning into SCFM, a high-voltage pulse to the gate of the other semiconductor device, thereby triggering a transitioning of the other device into SCFM. This is advantageous in that it leads to an improved current distribution within the module since the current is shared by more than one short-circuited device. Further, a method of a power semiconductor module is provided.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Power Conversion In General (AREA)

Abstract

A circuit comprising a power semiconductor module (200) having an improved short-circuit failure mode (SCFM) is provided. The power semiconductor module comprises at least two semiconductor devices (211-216) being arranged for transitioning into SCFM in the event of a device failure, a collector terminal for collectively connecting the collectors of the devices, and an emitter terminal for collectively connecting the emitters of the devices. The circuit further comprises means (240) for supplying, in response to one (211) of the semiconductor devices transitioning into SCFM, a high-voltage pulse to the gate of the other semiconductor device (212-216), thereby triggering a transitioning of the other device into SCFM. This is advantageous in that it leads to an improved current distribution within the module since the current is shared by more than one short-circuited device. Further, a method of a power semiconductor module is provided.

Description

SHORT-CIRCUIT FAILURE MODE WITH MULTIPLE DEVICE BREAKDOWN
Field of the invention
The invention relates in general to high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission, and more specifically to power semiconductor modules featuring the short-circuit failure mode (SCFM).
Background of the invention In HVDC applications and static var compensators (SVC) utilizing valves, semiconductor modules comprising power semiconductor devices featuring the SCFM are frequently utilized.
Typically, a semiconductor module comprises several power semiconductor devices, in particular insulated bipolar gate transistors (IGBT) and diodes, connected in parallel for sharing the current through the module. A plurality of such modules may be connected in series, often arranged as a stack, in order to achieve a desired voltage rating. The SCFM of the semiconductor devices enables the continued operation of such a stack in case of a failure of one of the semiconductor devices, e.g., due to cosmic radiation. In the event of a failure, an electrically conducting alloy of, e.g., silicon and a metal layer applied to the silicon, is formed by virtue of heat dissipated as a consequence of the failure, thereby short-circuiting the semiconductor device and enabling a continued operation of the stack until the failed module is replaced.
Initially, after the SCFM has formed, the short-circuited device takes over the entire current through the module. Over time neighboring devices may also transition into SCFM, a process which requires the occurrence of a sufficiently high voltage between collector and emitter for the transition to take place. Summary of the invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a more efficient alternative to the above techniques and prior art.
More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved utilization of the SCFM.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by means of a circuit having the features defined in independent claim 1 , and by means of a method of a power semiconductor module defined in independent claim 9. Embodiments of the invention are characterized by the dependent claims.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a circuit is provided. The circuit comprises a power semiconductor module. The power semiconductor module comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices, a collector terminal, and an emitter terminal. Each semiconductor device has a collector, an emitter, and a gate. Each semiconductor device is arranged for transitioning into an SCFM in the event of a failure of the semiconductor device. The collector terminal is arranged for collectively connecting the collectors of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components. The emitter terminal is arranged for collectively connecting the emitters of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components. The circuit further comprises means for supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of at least one of the other semiconductor devices of the plurality of semiconductor devices. The high-voltage pulse is supplied in response to a failing
semiconductor device of the plurality of semiconductor devices transitioning into SCFM.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of a power semiconductor module is provided. The power semiconductor module comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices, a collector terminal, and an emitter terminal. Each semiconductor device has a collector, an emitter, and a gate. Each semiconductor device is arranged for transitioning into an SCFM in the event of a failure of the semiconductor device. The collector terminal is arranged for collectively connecting the collectors of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components. The emitter terminal is arranged for collectively connecting the emitters of the plurality of
semiconductor devices to external circuit components. The method comprises supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of at least one of the other of the plurality of semiconductor devices. The high-voltage pulse is supplied in response to the transitioning of a failing semiconductor device of the plurality of semiconductor devices into SCFM.
In HVDC applications and SVCs, a plurality of semiconductor devices is often combined in order to achieve a desired current and/or voltage rating. Typically, a stack of power semiconductor modules connected in series is utilized in order to achieve a desired voltage rating, wherein each module comprises a plurality of semiconductor devices connected in parallel in order to achieve a desired current rating. By utilizing semiconductor devices featuring SCFM, and by providing for redundancy, the stack as a whole may continue operation even though a single, or even several, of the devices comprised in the stack have failed, e.g., due to cosmic radiation. Redundancy may be provided by utilizing more modules than what is necessary in order to achieve a desired voltage rating. In that way, if one, or several, of the modules are short-circuited due to one, or several, of their respective devices transitioning into SCFM, the remaining modules which are still functioning may share the voltage which is applied over the stack.
For the purpose of describing the present invention, semiconductor devices featuring SCFM have a collector, an emitter, and a gate, and are arranged for transitioning into SCFM in the event of a device failure. For this purpose, the semiconductor die of the device, which may, e.g., be silicon based, is supplied with a metal layer abutting the die. The transitioning of such a device into SCFM is then caused by the heat dissipated from the failure, or, more specifically, from an excessive current flowing as a
consequence of the failure, resulting in the formation of an electrically conducting alloy of metal and silicon. The electrically conducting alloy short- circuits the collector, the emitter, and the gate, of the device.
The present invention makes use of an understanding that the reliability of power semiconductor modules, and stacks comprising several of such modules connected in series, may be enhanced by forcing multiple semiconductor devices comprised in a power semiconductor module into SCFM. To this end, a circuit according to an embodiment of the invention, the circuit comprising a power semiconductor module comprising a plurality of semiconductor devices connected in parallel, is arranged for forcing, in the event of a failure of one of the devices, at least one of the other devices, i.e., at least one of the devices which have not failed, into SCFM. This may be achieved by supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of the at least one of the other devices, resulting in an excessive current through the die, which causes the transitioning of the device into SCFM. The transitioning into SCFM is caused by the heat dissipated by the current passing through the die. Only little energy is required for initiating the transition, whereas the energy needed for the formation of the alloy stems from the collector-emitter current.
Forcing devices connected in parallel to the failed device to transition into SCFM is advantageous in that it leads to an improved current distribution within the module. More specifically, the current through the module is shared by multiple short-circuited devices. In this way, the heat dissipation in the module is reduced, resulting in an enhanced life time and a lowering of the cooling requirements. Moreover, forcing the parallel devices to transition into SCFM is more reliable than relying on an autonomous transitioning of the devices, as the latter requires the occurrence of a sufficiently high voltage between the collector and the emitter.
An embodiment of the present invention is further advantageous in that no power source is needed for maintaining devices which are parallel to the short-circuited device in a switched-on state, as is the case for prior art solutions which strive to achieve current sharing. In such solutions the gate unit is typically configured for maintaining parallel devices in a switched-on state. However, due to the short-circuit, the gate unit cannot drain power from a collector-emitter clamp.
According to an embodiment of the invention, each semiconductor device is either an insulated-gate bipolar transistor, IGBT, or a diode.
Typically, a power semiconductor module may comprise a combination of IGBTs and diodes. In general, the invention is not limited to IGBTs and diodes, and embodiments of the invention comprising any other type of switchable high-power semiconductor device may easily be envisaged.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the circuit further comprises a gate unit. The gate unit is arranged for supplying a control voltage to the gates of the plurality of semiconductor devices. The control voltage is supplied during normal operation, i.e., prior to one of the
semiconductor devices transitioning into SCFM. The gate unit may, e.g., be integrated with the power semiconductor module or arranged separately from it. Further, the gate unit may also be arranged for supplying a control voltage to multiple modules, e.g., all the series-connected modules comprised in a stack.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the control voltage is supplied simultaneously to the gates of the plurality of semiconductor devices. This may, e.g., be achieved by collectively connecting the gates of the plurality of semiconductor devices comprised in a module to the gate unit. In this case, the gate unit may further be arranged for disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit. The gate is disconnected in the event of a failure of the semiconductor device, before the high-voltage pulse is supplied to the gate of at least one of the other semiconductor devices. This is advantageous since IGBTs connected in parallel to a short- circuited device are blocking, as a consequence of the common gate connection being clamped, through the short-circuited device, to emitter potential. By disconnecting the gate of the short-circuited device, the parallel IGBTs remain operable and may be forced to transition into SCFM by supplying a high-voltage pulse to their gates, thereby inducing an excessive current through the devices which results in the hereinbefore mentioned melting of the die and the metal layer applied to it. If, however, the short- circuited device is a diode, the gate of that diode need not to be disconnected from the gate unit, since the short circuit in this case does not prevent the operation of parallel devices.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the means for supplying a high-voltage pulse is arranged at the gate unit. In other words, the gate unit and the means for supplying a high-voltage pulse are integrated into a single unit. This is advantageous in that a more compact design may be achieved and additional connections between separate devices may be avoided.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the means for
disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit is arranged at the gate unit. In other words, the means for disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit and the gate unit are integrated into one unit. This is advantageous in that a more compact design may be achieved and additional connections between separate devices may be avoided. Preferably, the gate unit, the means for supplying a high-voltage pulse, and the means for disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit, are integrated into a single unit. This unit may, e.g., be arranged at the power semiconductor module or separate from the module.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the power semiconductor module is further arranged for supplying high-voltage pulses sequentially, i.e., one at a time, to the gates of the other semiconductor devices. In other words, the high-voltage pulse may be applied only to a single gate at a time, with a subsequent transition of the respective device into SCFM. This may be repeated after a predetermined time period, resulting in the transition of yet another device into SCFM. Alternatively, the repetition may be triggered upon detecting the previous device transitioning into SCFM.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the circuit comprises a plurality of power semiconductor modules. The power semiconductor modules are connected in series. Connecting a plurality of power
semiconductor modules in series is advantageous in that a higher voltage rating may be achieved.
Further objectives of, features of, and advantages with, the present invention will become apparent when studying the following detailed disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. Those skilled in the art realize that different features of the present invention can be combined to create embodiments other than those described in the following. Brief description of the drawings
The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a cross section of a press-pack power semiconductor module, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a top view of a power semiconductor module, in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of a power semiconductor stack, in
accordance with a further embodiment of the invention.
All the figures are schematic, not necessarily to scale, and generally only show parts which are necessary in order to elucidate the invention, wherein other parts may be omitted or merely suggested.
Detailed description
With reference to Fig. 1 , a power semiconductor module according to an embodiment of the invention is described. Fig. 1 shows a power
semiconductor module 100 in press-pack style, comprising power
semiconductor devices 1 10 and 120. Semiconductor devices 1 10 and 120 are arranged for transitioning into SCFM in the event of a device failure.
Device 1 10 comprises a semiconductor die 1 1 1 , which is arranged for performing the intended function of the device, e.g., that of an IGBT or a diode, a metal layer 1 12 abutting die 1 1 1 , an a resilient element 1 13 being arranged for applying a compressive force to die 1 1 1 and metal layer 1 12. Resilient element 1 13 may, e.g., be a compressed spring held in place by collector terminal 1 14 and emitter terminal 1 15. Resilient element 1 13 is either electrically conducting or is supplied with an electrically conducting bypass, such that die 1 1 1 may be electrically connected to external circuit components via terminals 1 14 and 1 15. The gate of die 1 1 1 is contacted by means of bond 1 16. Device 120 is identical to device 1 10 and comprises a semiconductor die 121 , a metal layer 122, a resilient element 123, and a gate bond 126.
In the event of a failure of any of the semiconductor devices 1 10 or 120 comprised in module 100, the failing device transitions into SCFM. The cause of such a failure may, e.g., be cosmic radiation resulting in an excessive current through the semiconductor die, which current is due to charge carriers which are set free as a consequence of the high-energetic cosmic radiation. The transitioning into SCFM, i.e., the short circuit of die 1 1 1 , is brought about by heat dissipated as a consequence of the excessive current passing through die 1 1 1 , resulting in the melting of die 1 1 1 and metal layer 1 12 and the formation of an electrically conducting alloy in the depicted region 130.
In the event of a failure of any of the semiconductor devices comprised in a power semiconductor module according to an embodiment of the invention, e.g., device 1 10 comprised in module 100 described with reference to Fig. 1 , and the subsequent transitioning of that device into SCFM, at least one of the other devices connected in parallel to the short-circuited device, e.g., device 120, may be forced to transition into SCFM by applying a high- voltage pulse to the gate of device 120, via gate bond 126. The high-voltage pulse may, e.g., be supplied by an external unit, or by means for supplying a high-voltage pulse, which module 100 is arranged with. Alternatively, a gate unit (not shown in Fig. 1 ), which is utilized for supplying a control voltage to the gates of the power semiconductor devices comprised in a power semiconductor module, or several power semiconductor module, during normal operation, may be arranged for supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of device 120. In general, a high-voltage pulse may be supplied to one or more of the devices comprised in the same module as the short-circuited device and connected in parallel to it. In particular, a high-voltage pulse may be supplied to all such devices simultaneously.
In order to further elucidate the invention, another embodiment of a power semiconductor module is illustrated in Fig. 2. Power semiconductor module 200 comprises six power semiconductor devices 21 1 -216 arranged in a press-pack style, i.e., similar to module 00 described with reference to Fig. 1 , between a collector terminal and an emitter terminal. Devices 21 1-216 may be IGBTs, diodes, or any combination thereof. The gates of
devices 21 1-216 are connected via bonds 220 to gate unit 230 and high- voltage unit 240, respectively. High-voltage unit 240 is arranged for supplying high-voltage pulses to the gate of at least one device 21 1 -216 connected in parallel to a short-circuited device, as was described hereinbefore. For instance, in the event of a failure of device 21 1 , and the subsequent transitioning of device 21 1 into SCFM, high-voltage unit 240 may be arranged for supplying a high-voltage pulse to at least one of the remaining
devices 2 2-2 6. In particular, unit 240 may be arranged for simultaneously supplying a high-voltage pulse to all of the remaining devices 212-216, thereby short-circuiting all devices 21 1 -216 comprised in module 200.
Alternatively, high-voltage unit 240 may be arranged for supplying high- voltage pulses to the respective gates of devices 212-216 sequentially, i.e., one at a time. For instance, the next pulse in the sequence may either be supplied after a predetermined time intervall has lapsed since the previous pulse, or in response to detecting that the device which has received the previous high-voltage pulse has started transitioning into SCFM. In this respect, the skilled person will also appreciate that high-voltage unit 240 may further be arranged for detecting the transitioning of any of the devices 21 1— 216 into SCFM. This may, e.g., be accomplished by detecting a change in gate potential with respect to the emitter and/or collector potential. Further, a failure of a semiconductor device, with an imminent transitioning into SCFM as a consequence, may be detected by monitoring a current, such as the collector-emitter curent, through the device.
Further with reference to Fig. 2, gate unit 230 and high-voltage unit 240 may be arranged separately from module 200, e.g., for the purpose of supplying an entire stack of power semiconductor modules with control voltage and high-voltage pulses, respectively. It will also be appreciated that module 200 may be arranged with switching means (not shown in Fig. 2) being arranged for connecting either gate unit 230 or high-voltage unit 240, i.e., only one of the units at a time, to the gates of devices 21 1-216. The switching means may further be arranged for disconnecting, in response to any one of the devices 21 1-216 transitioning into SCFM, gate unit 230 from the gates of devices 21 1 -216 and connecting high-voltage unit 240 to the gates of devices 21 1 -216 instead. In other words, the gates of devices 21 1— 216 are connected to gate unit 230 during normal operation, whereas they are connected to high-voltage unit 240 in the event of a failure of any one of the devices 21 1 -216.
In Fig. 3, a stack according to yet another embodiment of the invention is illustrated. Stack 300 comprises multiple power semiconductor
modules 3101— 310N connected in series, such as modules 100 and 200 described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively. The number of modules 3101— 310N connected in series depends on the desired voltage rating and the desired redundancy of the stack. In the event of a failure in a power semiconductor device comprised in one of the modules 3101-310N of stack 300, e.g., in module 3102, and the subsequent short-circuiting of that device, one or several of the other devices comprised in module 3102 and connected in parallel with the short-circuited device are forced into SCFM, as is described hereinbefore. As a consequence, module 3102 is short-circuited and the voltage drop over module 3102 virtually vanishes. As a result, the remaining modules 3101 and 3103— 310N take over and share the voltage 320 applied over stack 300. Depending on the operating conditions and the redundancy provided, defective modules, or the entire stack, are replaced before a maximum number of redundant modules have failed.
It will be appreciated that the required size of the high-voltage pulse, and its duration, depend on the application at hand, in particular on the design of the power semiconductor device and its die, as well as the gate condition. For instance, for a device with a 2.5 kV rating, a pulse of about 3.3 kV is typically needed in case of gate-on-emitter potential. In the event of a floating gate, i.e., after disconnecting the gate from the gate unit, as described hereinabove, the required pulse is typically about 1 .5 kV.
The person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For instance, one may envisage a gate unit being arranged for supplying a high-voltage pulse to the gate of one of the semiconductor devices of the plurality of semiconductor devices, in response to a failing semiconductor device of another of the plurality of semiconductor devices transitioning into SCFM, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Such a gate unit may, e.g., be used to modify existing power semiconductor modules. In other words, an existing power semiconductor module may be supplied with a gate unit which is arranged for performing an embodiment of the second aspect of the invention.
In conclusion, a circuit comprising a power semiconductor module having an improved SCFM is provided. The power semiconductor module comprises at least two semiconductor devices being arranged for transitioning into SCFM in the event of a device failure, a collector terminal for collectively connecting the collectors of the devices, and an emitter terminal for collectively connecting the emitters of the devices. The circuit further comprises means for supplying, in response to one of the semiconductor devices transitioning into SCFM, a high-voltage pulse to the gate of the other semiconductor device, thereby triggering a transitioning of the other device into SCFM. This is advantageous in that it leads to an improved current distribution within the module since the current is shared by more than one short-circuited device. Further, a method of a power semiconductor module is provided.

Claims

1 . A circuit comprising:
a power semiconductor module (100; 200) comprising:
a plurality of semiconductor devices (1 10, 120; 21 1 -216), each semiconductor device having a collector, an emitter, and a gate (1 16, 126; 220), and being arranged for transitioning into a short-circuit failure mode, SCFM, in the event of a failure of the semiconductor device,
a collector terminal (1 14) being arranged for collectively connecting the collectors of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components, and
an emitter terminal (1 15) being arranged for collectively connecting the emitters of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components,
wherein the circuit further comprises means (240) for supplying, in response to a failing semiconductor device (21 1 ) of the plurality of semiconductor devices transitioning into an SCFM, a high-voltage pulse to the gate of at least one of the other semiconductor devices (212-216) of the plurality of semiconductor devices.
2. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein each semiconductor device is either an insulated-gate bipolar transistor, IGBT, or a diode.
3. The circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a gate unit (230) being arranged for supplying, during normal operation, a control voltage to the gates of the plurality of semiconductor devices.
4. The circuit according to claim 3, wherein the control voltage is supplied simultaneously to the gates of the plurality of semiconductor devices, the circuit further comprising means for disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit.
5. The circuit according to claim 3, wherein the means for supplying a high-voltage pulse is arranged at the gate unit.
6. The circuit according to claim 4, wherein the means for
disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from the gate unit is arranged at the gate unit.
7. The circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the means for supplying a high-voltage pulse is further arranged for supplying high-voltage pulses sequentially, one at a time, to the gates of the other semiconductor devices.
8. The circuit according to any one of the claims 1-7, comprising a plurality of power semiconductor modules (3 01-310 ) connected in series.
9. A method of a power semiconductor module (100; 200) comprising: a plurality of semiconductor devices (1 10, 120; 21 1 -216), each semiconductor device having a collector, an emitter, and a gate (1 16, 126;
220), and being arranged for transitioning into a short-circuit failure mode,
SCFM, in the event of a failure of the semiconductor device,
a collector terminal (1 14) being arranged for collectively connecting the collectors of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit components, and
an emitter terminal (1 15) being arranged for collectively connecting the emitters of the plurality of semiconductor devices to external circuit
components,
wherein the method comprises supplying, in response to a failing
semiconductor device (21 1 ) of the plurality of semiconductor devices transitioning into an SCFM, a high-voltage pulse to the gate of at least one of the other semiconductor devices (212-216) of the plurality of semiconductor devices. 0. The method according to claim 9, further comprising disconnecting the gate of the failed semiconductor device from a gate unit (230).
1 1 . The method according to claim 8, further comprising sequentially supplying high-voltage pulses, one at a time, to the gates of the other semiconductor devices.
PCT/EP2011/061289 2011-07-05 2011-07-05 Short-circuit failure mode with multiple device breakdown WO2013004297A1 (en)

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US10263506B2 (en) 2015-03-05 2019-04-16 Ge Energy Power Conversion Technology Ltd Circuit arrangement and method for gate-controlled power semiconductor devices
US20170242048A1 (en) * 2016-02-19 2017-08-24 Agjunction Llc Thermal stabilization of inertial measurement units
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