Power module having at least two substrates

1. A power module comprising:

a first substrate populated with power semiconductor chips having a first placement side;

a second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips having a second placement side, the first and second substrates in the power module being oriented parallel one above the other and the first and second placement sides being arranged facing one another; and

one or more bonding wires configured in a hingelike manner electrically connecting the first and second placement sides to one another and defining the distance between the first and second substrates.

2. The power module of claim 1 , comprising wherein the signal semiconductor chips are connected via conductor tracks on the second substrate and the bonding wires to the power semiconductor chips on the first substrate via external conductors.

3. The power module of claim 1 , comprising wherein the power semiconductor chips on the first substrate are connected via bonding wires directly on the first substrate among one another and to inner flat conductor ends of external flat conductors.

4. The power module of claim 1 , comprising wherein the bonding wires comprise aluminum.

5. The power module of claim 1 , comprising wherein the bonding wires have a diameter of between 100 and 300 micrometers.

6. A power module comprising:

a first substrate populated with power semiconductor chips having a first placement side;

a second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips having a second placement side, the first and second substrates in the power module being oriented parallel one above the other and the first and second placement sides being arranged facing one another; and

bonding wires bent in a hingelike manner electrically connecting the first and second placement sides to one another and defining the distance between the first and second substrates and mechanically fixing the first and second substrates in a plastic housing.

7. The power module of claim 6 , comprising wherein the first substrate comprises a ceramic board.

8. The power module of claim 6 , wherein the first substrate comprises a multilayer ceramic board.

9. The power module of claim 6 , wherein the second substrate comprises a printed circuit board made of glass-fiber-reinforced plastic.

10. The power module of claim 6 , wherein the second substrate comprises a multilayer printed circuit board comprising glass-fiber-reinforced plastic.

11. The power module of claim 6 , comprising wherein the second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips includes logic semiconductor components.

12. The power module of claim 6 , comprising wherein the second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips includes semiconductor chips with integrated control circuits.

13. The power module of claim 6 , comprising wherein the second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips includes semiconductor chips with integrated driver circuits.

14. The power module of claim 6 , comprising wherein the second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips includes semiconductor chips with temperature sensors.

15. The power module of claim 6 , comprising wherein the second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips includes semiconductor chips with passive components.

16. The power module of claim 6 , comprising wherein the first substrate populated with power semiconductor chips includes semiconductor chips with insulated gate bipolar power transistors.

17. The power module of claim 6 , comprising wherein the first substrate populated with power semiconductor chips includes semiconductor chips with metal oxide power field effect transistors.

18. A power module comprising:

a first substrate populated with power semiconductor chips having a first placement side;

a second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips having a second placement side, the first and second substrates in the power module being oriented parallel one above the other and the first and second placement sides being arranged facing one another; and

a plurality of bonding wires bent in a hingelike manner electrically connecting the first and second placement sides to one another and defining the distance between the first and second substrates and mechanically fixing the first and second substrates in a plastic housing, wherein the signal semiconductor chips are connected via conductor tracks on the second substrate and the bonding wires bent in hinge-type fashion to the power semiconductor chips on the first substrate electrically and/or to external flat conductors.

19. The power module of claim 18 , comprising wherein the power semiconductor chips on the first substrate are connected via bonding wires and/or conductor tracks directly on the first substrate among one another and to inner flat conductor ends of external flat conductors.

20. The power module of claim 19 , comprising wherein the bonding wires bent in hinge-type fashion comprise aluminum and/or an aluminum alloy.

21. The power module of claim 20 , comprising wherein the bonding wires bent in hinge-type fashion have a diameter of between 100 and 300 micrometers.

22. A power module comprising:

a first substrate populated with power semiconductor chips having a first placement side;

a second substrate populated with signal semiconductor chips having a second placement side, the first and second substrates in the power module being oriented parallel one above the other and the first and second placement sides being arranged facing one another; and

means for bonding configured in a hingelike manner electrically connecting the first and second placement sides to one another and defining the distance between the first and second substrates and mechanically fixing the first and second substrates in a plastic housing.