IP Library Granted Patent US 9,326,425
Granted Patent B2
US 9,326,425 · App. 13/996,640 · Granted Apr 26, 2016

Power module

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,326,425
App. No.
13/996,640
Granted
Apr 26, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a power conversion device including an insulating member manufactured such that a thickness di (mm) of the insulating member made from a resin, provided between a heat dissipating surface of a conductor plate bonded to a power semiconductor device and a heat dissipating plate that dissipates the heat of the power semiconductor device satisfies a relation of di>(1.36×10-8×Vt2+3.4×10-5×Vt−0.015)×∈r, where a relative permittivity of the insulating member is ∈r and a surge voltage generated between the conductor plate and the heat dissipating plate accompanied by an ON/OFF switching operation of the power semiconductor device is Vt (V). The conductor plate of the power semiconductor device, the insulating member, and the heat dissipating plate are bonded by thermocompression bonding.

Claims (45)

1. A power module comprising:

a power semiconductor device;

a first conductive member that is fixed to the power semiconductor device by a metal bonding member; and

a second conductive member that is bonded to the first conductive member by an insulating sheet made from a resin, the insulating sheet being bonded to the first and second conductive members by thermocompression bonding, wherein

when a thickness of the insulating sheet is di (mm), a relative permittivity of the insulating sheet is ∈r, and a surge voltage generated between the conductive members is Vt (V), di and ∈r are set for Vt so as to satisfy a relation of di>(1.36×10 −8 ×Vt 2 +3.4×10 −5 ×Vt−0.015)×∈r, and

when an insulating layer and an air layer are present in series in an equivalent circuit between the first and second conductive members, a discharge is suppressed.

2. A power module comprising:

a power semiconductor device;

a first conductive member that is fixed to the power semiconductor device by a metal bonding member; and

a second conductive member that is bonded to the first conductive member by an insulating sheet made from a resin, the insulating sheet being bonded to the first and second conductive members by thermocompression bonding, wherein

when a thickness of the insulating sheet is di (mm), a relative permittivity of the insulating sheet is ∈r, a surge voltage generated between the conductive members is Vt (V), and a lowest atmospheric pressure to which the power module is exposed is p (atm), di and ∈r are set so as to satisfy a relation of di>(1.36×10 −8 ×Vt 2 +3.4×10 −5 ×Vt−0.015)×∈r/p, and

when an insulating layer and an air layer are present in series in an equivalent circuit between the first and second conductive members, a discharge is suppressed.

3. A power module comprising:

a power semiconductor device;

a first conductive member that is fixed to the power semiconductor device by a metal bonding member; and

a second conductive member that is bonded to the first conductive member by an insulating sheet made from a resin, the insulating sheet being bonded to the first and second conductive members by thermocompression bonding, wherein

when a thickness of the insulating sheet is di (mm), a relative permittivity of the insulating sheet is ∈r, a surge voltage generated between the conductive members is Vt (V), and an allowable thickness of any one of voids present in an interface between the insulating sheet and the conductive member and voids included in the insulating sheet is db (mm), di and ∈r are set so as to satisfy a relation of di>(1.36×10 −8 ×Vt 2 +3.4×10 −5 ×Vt−0.015)×∈r+db, and

when an insulating layer and an air layer are present in series in an equivalent circuit between the first and second conductive members, a discharge is suppressed.

4. A power module comprising:

a power semiconductor device;

a first conductive member that is fixed to the power semiconductor device by a metal bonding member; and

a second conductive member that is bonded to the first conductive member by an insulating sheet made from a resin, the insulating sheet being bonded to the first and second conductive members by thermocompression bonding, wherein

when a thickness of the insulating sheet is di (mm), a relative permittivity of the insulating sheet is ∈r, a surge voltage generated between the conductive members is Vt (V), an allowable thickness of any one of voids present in an interface between the insulating sheet and the conductive member and voids included in the insulating sheet is db (mm), and a lowest atmospheric pressure to which the power module is exposed is p (atm), di and ∈r are set so as to satisfy a relation of di>((1.36×10 −8 ×Vt 2 +3.4×10 −5 ×Vt−0.015)×∈r+db)/p, and

when an insulating layer and an air layer are present in series in an equivalent circuit between the first and second conductive members, a discharge is suppressed.

5. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein

when a dielectric withstanding voltage of the insulating sheet is Vbd (V/mm), and a withstanding voltage required between the first and second conductive members is Viso (V), a relation of di>Viso/Vbd is further satisfied.

6. The power module according to claim 1 , wherein

the power semiconductor device includes a first principal surface and a second principal surface that face each other,

at least a first principal electrode and a plurality of control terminals are formed on the first principal surface, and a second principal electrode is formed on the second principal surface,

the first conductive member is a first conductor plate that is electrically connected to the second principal electrode of the power semiconductor device by a metal bonding member,

the power semiconductor device and the conductor plate are sealed by an insulating resin so that at least a portion of a surface opposite to a surface of the first conductor plate to which the power semiconductor device is bonded is exposed as a heat dissipating surface, and

the second conductive member is a first heat dissipating plate that is thermocompression-bonded to the heat dissipating surface by the insulating sheet.

7. The power module according to claim 6 , wherein

the second conductor plate is electrically connected to the first principal electrode of the power semiconductor device by the metal bonding member,

the power semiconductor device and the second conductor plate are sealed by the insulating resin together with the first conductor plate so that at least a portion of a surface opposite to a surface of the second conductor plate to which the power semiconductor device is bonded is exposed as a second heat dissipating surface of the second conductor plate, and

the second heat dissipating plate is bonded to the second heat dissipating surface of the second conductor plate by an insulating sheet made from a resin, and the insulating sheet is thermocompression-bonded and has a thickness and a relative permittivity that are defined to be the same as those of the insulating sheet between the first heat dissipating plate and the first conductor plate.

8. The power module according to claim 6 , wherein

when a thermal resistance of the power module is Rt (K/W), a thermal conductivity of the insulating sheet is λi (W/mK), and a size of the insulating sheet is Si (m 2 ), a relation of di≦Rt×0.3×λi×Si×1000 is further satisfied.

9. The power module according to claim 2 , wherein

the thickness di of the insulating sheet is set such that the lowest atmospheric pressure p (atm) is calculated as p=0.54 atm at an elevation of 4500 m, whereby a discharge between the first and second conductive members is suppressed.

10. The power module according to claim 4 , wherein

the thickness di of the insulating sheet is set such that the lowest atmospheric pressure p (atm) is calculated as p=0.54 atm at an elevation of 4500 m, whereby a discharge between the first and second conductive members is suppressed.

11. A power conversion device for converting a DC power into an AC power, comprising an inverter on which the power module according to claim 1 is mounted.

12. The power module according to claim 7 , wherein

when a thermal resistance of the power module is Rt (K/W), a thermal conductivity of the insulating sheet is λi (W/mK), and a size of the insulating sheet is Si (m 2 ), a relation of di≦Rt×0.3×λi×Si×1000 is further satisfied.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 25, 2021
From: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
To: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
Reel/Frame 056299/0447 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2013
From: SUWA, TOKIHITO; KANEKO, YUJIRO; YURA, MASASHI; TSUYUNO, NOBUTAKE; ISHII, TOSHIAKI; KUSUKAWA, JUNPEI
To: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 030823/0036 →