Power electronics assemblies having a semiconductor device with metallized embedded cooling channels
A power electronics assembly having a semiconductor device that includes a first device surface opposite a second device surface, a semiconductor substrate layer that extends from the first device surface to a substrate-drift interface, a semiconductor drift layer that extends from the substrate-drift interface towards the second device surface, and a semiconductor fluid channel is positioned within the semiconductor substrate layer of the semiconductor device. Further, the semiconductor fluid channel includes an inner surface. Moreover, a fluid channel metallization layer is positioned along the inner surface of the semiconductor fluid channel.
1. A power electronics assembly comprising:
a power electronic semiconductor-device comprising:
a first device surface opposite a second device surface;
a semiconductor substrate layer extending from the first device surface to a substrate-drift interface;
a semiconductor drift layer extending from the substrate-drift interface towards the second device surface; and
a semiconductor fluid channel positioned within the semiconductor substrate layer of the power electronic semiconductor device, wherein the semiconductor fluid channel is in fluid communication with an inlet port and an outlet port such that a fluid pathway is formed from the inlet port to the outlet port through the semiconductor fluid channel and the semiconductor fluid channel comprises an inner surface; and
a fluid channel metallization layer positioned along the inner surface of the semiconductor fluid channel.
2. The power electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the semiconductor fluid channel extends from the first device surface of the power electronic semiconductor device to a termination location located within the semiconductor substrate layer of the power electronic semiconductor device; and
the inner surface of the semiconductor fluid channel comprises a first wall portion and a second wall portion spaced apart from the first wall portion by a channel width.
3. The power electronics assembly of claim 2 , wherein the channel width between the first wall portion and the second wall portion is uniform between the first device surface and the termination location.
4. The power electronics assembly of claim 2 , wherein the channel width between the first wall portion and the second wall portion at the first device surface is larger than the channel width between the first wall portion and the second wall portion at the termination location.
5. The power electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid channel metallization layer comprises a uniform thickness along the inner surface.
6. The power electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fluid channel metallization layer comprises a thickness of between about 1 μm and about 3 μm.
7. The power electronics assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first electrode electrically and thermally coupled to the first device surface of the power electronic semiconductor device, and
a second electrode electrically and thermally coupled to the second device surface of the power electronic semiconductor device.
8. The power electronics assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first electrode comprises a drain electrode and the second electrode comprises a source electrode each thermally and electrically coupled to the power electronic semiconductor device such that a vertical current pathway extends through the power electronic semiconductor device from the source electrode to the drain electrode.
9. The power electronics assembly of claim 7 wherein an electrical on-resistance applied by the power electronic semiconductor device to the vertical current pathway extending between the second electrode and the first electrode is less than about 1 mΩ-cm 2 .
10. The power electronics assembly of claim 1 , wherein the power electronic semiconductor device is a wide bandgap semiconductor device comprising a wide bandgap semiconductor material.
11. A power electronics assembly comprising:
a semiconductor device stack comprising:
a power electronic semiconductor device;
a first electrode electrically and thermally coupled to a first device surface of the power electronic semiconductor device; and
a second electrode electrically and thermally coupled to a second device surface of the power electronic semiconductor device;
a substrate layer coupled to the semiconductor device stack, wherein the substrate layer comprises a substrate inlet port and a substrate outlet port;
an integrated fluid channel system extending between the substrate inlet port and the substrate outlet port of the substrate layer, wherein the integrated fluid channel system comprises:
a substrate fluid inlet channel extending from the substrate inlet port into the substrate layer;
a substrate fluid outlet channel extending from the substrate outlet port into the substrate layer; and
a semiconductor fluid channel extending into the power electronic semiconductor device and positioned in fluid communication with the substrate fluid inlet channel and the substrate fluid outlet channel, wherein the semiconductor fluid channel comprises an inner surface; and
a fluid channel metallization layer positioned along the inner surface of the semiconductor fluid channel of the power electronic semiconductor device.
12. The power electronics assembly of claim 11 , wherein the substrate layer is coupled to the semiconductor device stack such that the first electrode is positioned between the substrate layer and the power electronic semiconductor device.
13. The power electronics assembly of claim 11 , wherein the integrated fluid channel system further comprises one or more electrode fluid channels extending within the first electrode, wherein the one or more electrode fluid channels are in fluid communication with the substrate fluid inlet channel, the substrate fluid outlet channel, and the semiconductor fluid channel.
14. The power electronics assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the first device surface of the power electronic semiconductor device is opposite the second device surface of the power electronic semiconductor device;
the first electrode comprises a drain electrode;
the second electrode comprises a source electrode; and
the first electrode and the second electrode are each thermally and electrically coupled to the power electronic semiconductor device such that a vertical current pathway extends through the power electronic semiconductor device from the second electrode to the first electrode.
15. The power electronics assembly of claim 14 wherein an electrical on-resistance applied by the power electronic semiconductor device to the vertical current pathway extending between the second electrode and the first electrode is less than about 1 mΩ-cm 2 .
16. The power electronics assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a cooling fluid reservoir, a fluid pump, and a secondary heat exchanger, each fluidly coupled to the substrate inlet port and the substrate outlet port, wherein the cooling fluid reservoir houses a dielectric cooling fluid.